The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer – for the #1940Club

Title: The Corinthian
Author: Georgette Heyer
Publication: Bantam, paperback, originally published in 1940
Genre: Historical Romance
Setting: 19th century England

It’s time for the #1940 Club, hosted by Simon from Stuck in a Book and Karen from Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings, featuring books published in a particular year.

Description: Sir Richard Wyndham, a handsome and sophisticated man about town, is expected to propose to Melissa Brandon, the daughter of family friends in need of his fortune. Penelope Creed, a young heiress, is being asked to marry her cousin, although his face reminds her of a fish. They meet when Richard, having overindulged on what he thinks is his last night of freedom, is staggering home as Pen escapes from her aunt’s home – by the window – via knotted sheets that do not reach the ground. She asks him to catch her. By the time Richard has sobered up, they are hours away on a stagecoach, heading to Pen’s childhood sweetheart, and to adventures neither expect but will fully embrace.

My Impression: Heyer is one of my favorite authors and The Corinthian deserves a place among her more obviously popular books. This one may be overlooked because it is more of a caper novel than a romance. Pen is 17 and has been living with her aunt’s family since she was orphaned at 12. They expect her to marry her cousin so he will benefit from her fortune. Pen, instead, would prefer to marry her childhood friend Piers and is running away to him, although it seems any contact has not been recent. She is endlessly creative at providing cover stories for her and Richard's escape:

Barbosa

“Pen Creed,” said Sir Richard calmly, “you cast me for the role of bear leader, and I accepted it. You drew a revolting picture of me which led everyone in that coach to regard me in the light of a persecutor of youth. Now you are reaping the harvest of your own sowing.”

She laughed. “Are you going to persecute me?”

“Horribly,” said Sir Richard.

She tucked a confiding hand in his arm, and gave a little skip. “Very well, I will do as you tell me. I’m very glad I met you: we are having a splendid adventure, are we not?”

Richard not only falls in love with Pen while she is dressed as a young man but evolves, as some of Heyer’s heroes do, from a life of self-indulgent pleasure to caring about someone else and her happiness more than his own. Pen initially regards him in the guise of a friendly uncle and it takes her longer to realize she loves him, nor does that knowledge immediately bring her happiness.  In contrast, he recognizes almost immediately that he cannot go through with the marriage of convenience being pushed on him by his mother and sister.  As always, Heyer’s depiction of even minor characters is impressive: one of my favorite scenes is when Richard seeks to communicate his version of events to a local magistrate. The magistrate is conscientious but is distracted by the juxtaposition of the odd tale, Richard’s provision of a hot alcoholic punch on a cold night, and the appeal to his knowledge of the world, exactly as Richard had hoped. For those who have never tried Heyer because they do not like historical romance, this might be the perfect book with which to begin.

Source: I acquired my unimpressive paperback while working at Bantam years ago when they reprinted six Heyers with cover quotes from contemporary romance authors to introduce GH to new readers. This one quotes Julie Garwood that The Corinthian is her favorite Regency novel, but I much prefer the cover above by long-time Heyer illustrator, Arthur Barbosa (did you know Barbosa also illustrated some Dorothy Dunnett books?). 

I also read this for the 2023 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge, hosted by The Intrepid Reader.