2016 American Regency romance novella, side story in a linked series.
In her youth, Cecilia Goodhue ran off with a wild young man in the
direction of Gretna Green; but they were caught, and she learned he
was a fortune-hunter; to escape some of the scandal, she lived by the
grace of her married sister and became a teacher in a village school.
Now, ten years later, her own younger sister has run off with a
soldier, and in an attempt to find her she'll meet that man again.
Once more, Noble manages to take a standard romance-story
situation and go through the clichés by putting real people into the
mix. Yes, of course the fellow wasn't the fortune-hunter she took him
for, and indeed he was told that she was after his money; but her
learning that doesn't throw them instantly into each other's arms,
because she realises that he was ready to believe it, and that's
still a barrier they'll have to get past if Love is to Conquer All.
It's all perhaps a little hasty, given the negative things they've
been believing about each other for ten years, but it just about holds
together.
There are also comical notes (on learning that Cecilia is going to
London and needs an excuse for it, everyone loads their own errands
onto her); and we get a glimpse of the married life of the couple
from The Game and the Governess.
I've always found Heyer's short romance stories unsatisfying because
they don't have room to build character; this one's only a bit longer,
but does just about manage to pull off the trick.
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