The Nonesuch by Georgette Heyer, for the #1962Club

Title: The Nonesuch
Author: Georgette Heyer
Publication: E.P. Dutton & Co., hardcover, 1962
Genre: Historical Romance
Setting: 19th century England

Description: Local society in the village of Oversett, North Yorkshire, is excited to hear that Sir Waldo Hawkridge, a dashing and wealthy member of the ton, has inherited Broom Hall and has come to see it with his amiable young cousin, Lord Lindeth. Tiffany Wield, a lovely heiress of 17 longing to enter London society, is determined to captivate them both. However, it is Tiffany’s governess, Ancilla Trent, who is the heroine of this novel. Determined to make her own living, she taught at Tiffany’s school and now has the unenviable task of making the self-centered orphan behave while maintaining a dignified but self-effacing presence as her companion. As the neighborhood is inspired to new levels of social activity – balls, breakfasts, dancing lessons – to entertain the newcomers, Ancilla’s disapproval of what she considers Sir Waldo’s sporting life slowly melts away as she comes to know his humor, kindness, and perfect manners. Is he merely flirting with her or could he be seriously interested in a young woman the world considers significantly beneath him in station?

My Impression: No one else seems to have read this yet for the 1962 Club so I could not resist, as it is one of my favorites of Heyer’s regency romances – one of the few to feature a heroine who works for a living. As Sir Waldo arrives to inspect his inheritance, everyone is eager to meet him except Miss Trent, but to her surprise, she feels an instant tug of attraction, as (hero/heroine alert!) gray eyes meet gray eyes:

The Nonesuch had been for too many years the target at which ambitious females had aimed their arrows to be any longer impressionable; and certain painful disillusionments suffered in his youth had hardened his heart against feminine wiles. He was not so much cynical as armoured; and at the age of five-and-thirty believed that he was past the age of falling in love. What he saw in Miss Trent he liked: the fine eyes which looked so directly into his, the graceful carriage, the indefinably well-bred air which distinguished her, and the absence of any affectation in her manner. He liked her voice, too, and the civil indifference with which she had received his compliment. It was refreshing to meet a marriageable female who did not instantly exert herself to win his admiration; it might be pleasant to pursue her acquaintance . . .

Ancilla Trent is wary of the sporting crowd that Sir Waldo represents, due to extravagances by her cousin, so is prejudiced against him. The fact that she is unimpressed by him puzzles and intrigues Sir Waldo as much as the twinkle in her eye.

He is surprisingly easy-going and politely accepts the invitations he and Lord Lindeth receive, although considers most of his new acquaintances “as dull as they were worthy.” Once Lord Lindeth has fallen for the beautiful but spoiled Tiffany Wield, he and Sir Waldo end up spending a lot of time at Staples, the largest home in Oversett, where Tiffany lives with her widowed aunt, Mrs. Underhill, cousins, and Miss Trent. This allows an easy friendship to develop between Sir Waldo and Miss Trent.

The characters in this novel are extremely well drawn and varied, including the perhaps-too-perfect but appealing Sir Waldo; his cousins, one sympathetic and one not; the impressionable young men in Yorkshire who try to emulate the impressive Londoner. Mrs. Underhill is my favorite: a kind and hospitable but somewhat vulgar woman who cannot control her niece but puts up with her because she hoped Tiffany would marry her son and keep the fortune in the family. Initially intimidated by the governess, she quickly came to rely on her, both to keep Tiffany under control and because Miss Trent treats her with the tact and deference she does not receive from her family. She embarrasses Miss Trent by commenting that Sir Waldo is interested but her intentions are good. The vicar and his family are also very likable, maintaining high principles yet, all-too-humanly, deciding to allow their daughter to dance the shocking waltz, partly so she won’t be left out of all the fun and because she can be trusted to dance with grace and decorum.

Observing the relationship develop between Sir Waldo and Miss Trent is part of the appeal of The Nonesuch, in contrast to some romances where this is neglected and the characters fall, improbably, into each other’s arms anyway. The only flaw is a somewhat absurd misunderstanding between Sir Waldo and Miss Trent that nearly destroys their relationship. I usually dislike such devices that keep the characters apart when they need only ask a question to sort it out but, here, Miss Trent is at a disadvantage because she knows Sir Waldo is a matrimonial prize and she is the hired help, which makes it hard to make delicate inquiries. While Mrs. Underhill has become fond of her, the other women in town are spiteful when they notice Sir Waldo’s interest and criticize her for not knowing her place – presumably, invisible, like all good servants. It takes an extended temper tantrum from Tiffany to help unravel the miscommunications to everyone’s satisfaction.

Favorite Quote: Mrs. Underhill smiled indulgently at her. “Ay, well, he who lives longest will see the most!” she prophesied.   I say this all the time!

Source: Personal copy. This is my twenty-fourth book for the 2023 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge hosted by The Intrepid Reader.

You can read my other Heyer reviews here.  Also, if you are a fan, here is a link to a recent Heyer quiz that Anne Gracie posted.