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The Count's Charade
Caring for a wounded stranger...
Discovering a seriously wounded Frenchman near her home, Grace Dovercourt makes the dangerous decision to take him in and nurse him back to health. Her attraction to Henri Rousselle grows stronger by the day, but she is under no illusion that such a fine man could possibly find it in his heart to lover her -- a woman who has been lame since birth.
Yet Henri makes no secret of his admiration for her. Although, as he slowly recovers, Grace finds herself having to fight her emotions and shield him from the authorities. It seems her handsome stranger is a wanted man...
Discovering a seriously wounded Frenchman near her home, Grace Dovercourt makes the dangerous decision to take him in and nurse him back to health. Her attraction to Henri Rousselle grows stronger by the day, but she is under no illusion that such a fine man could possibly find it in his heart to lover her -- a woman who has been lame since birth.
Yet Henri makes no secret of his admiration for her. Although, as he slowly recovers, Grace finds herself having to fight her emotions and shield him from the authorities. It seems her handsome stranger is a wanted man...
348 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2003
48 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Bailey
98 books304 followersAn avid reader from an early age, Elizabeth Bailey grew up in colonial Africa under unconventional parentage and with theatre in the blood. Back in England, she trod the boards until discovering her true métier as a writer in her thirties, when she fulfilled an early addiction to Georgette Heyer by launching into historical romance. Eight years and eight books later, Elizabeth joined the Harlequin Mills & Boon stable, fuelling her writing with a secondary career teaching and directing drama, and writing plays into the bargain.
With 18 historicals published, Elizabeth turned to other genres, producing two titles (Fly the Wild Echoes and For One More Tomorrow) in the cross-genre literary/paranormal field as well as a suspense novella (Silence of a Stranger). She has several short stories available too and a guide for writers on editing.
Continuing her foray into other genres, but returning to her favourite historical period, Elizabeth turned to mystery. She placed her female sleuth in the late Georgian world of intrigue, elegance, aristocrats and rogues, where privilege rubbed shoulders with the harsh realities of making ends meet. While Ottilia moves in the upper echelon of Society, she is thoroughly at ease in the lower, which allows Elizabeth to cross boundaries with impunity. These novels are now published with Sapere Books and the list continues to grow.
Sapere also publish her Brides by Chance Regency Adventures, a series dedicated to the countless women who could not ordinarily hope for romance and marriage: poor relations, dowerless females, those who did not "take", orphans. In a word, the classic Cinderella heroine.
Now retired from teaching, Elizabeth concentrates on writing and promotion, with a sideline in running an assessment critique service for writers.
With 18 historicals published, Elizabeth turned to other genres, producing two titles (Fly the Wild Echoes and For One More Tomorrow) in the cross-genre literary/paranormal field as well as a suspense novella (Silence of a Stranger). She has several short stories available too and a guide for writers on editing.
Continuing her foray into other genres, but returning to her favourite historical period, Elizabeth turned to mystery. She placed her female sleuth in the late Georgian world of intrigue, elegance, aristocrats and rogues, where privilege rubbed shoulders with the harsh realities of making ends meet. While Ottilia moves in the upper echelon of Society, she is thoroughly at ease in the lower, which allows Elizabeth to cross boundaries with impunity. These novels are now published with Sapere Books and the list continues to grow.
Sapere also publish her Brides by Chance Regency Adventures, a series dedicated to the countless women who could not ordinarily hope for romance and marriage: poor relations, dowerless females, those who did not "take", orphans. In a word, the classic Cinderella heroine.
Now retired from teaching, Elizabeth concentrates on writing and promotion, with a sideline in running an assessment critique service for writers.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 27, 2020
The Count's Charade
Elizabeth Bailey
https://www.facebook.com/authorelizab...
Release date 05/01/2020
Blurb :
A shot across the marshes heard by a lone, disabled woman.
The Frenchman in Grace’s lean-to is at death’s door. An enemy spy? Who are the men who seek him? What secrets lie in the papers Henri entrusts to her charge?
Living alone but for her faithful maid, Grace’s reputation is at stake. But Henri’s safety comes first. If he is to have a chance, she must hold the authorities at bay.
Barely has he recovered when his pursuers come calling. Pitting those who would interfere one against the other, Grace risks all to keep her Frenchman alive.
Will the truth emerge before Henri’s enemies manage to silence him forever?
My review :
While it is a re-release, this book is my opportunity to discover Mrs Elizabeth Bailey’s work.
And I very much loved this tale, even if I am not fond of people beating themselves down for what they see as their insufficiencies, it was a lovely story.
Grace has everything to be proud of, she has acquired a hard won freedom, and a mean to gain money with her work. And while she has decided her impediment forbids her to have a family of her own, she has found a way to feel needed.
Still, with Henry’s input in her life, she discovers a new sense to her day. By disturbing her being, he fulfills a need she never knew she had. He gives her strength to fight for him.
Henri lives in the shadows, alone for so long he does not know any more who to trust and how to trust. Yet he is a good man, why he seeks only to protect Grace, she has saved his life and he refuses to repay her with more danger than she might already be in.
And as the tension builds around them as danger lurks from everywhere, I was in harmony with Grace, with a tattoo in my chest, my nerves fluttering while wondering how they might get out of the trap set for them.
Their tale is one of resilience and faith as secrets must be kept and truth might not be easy.
5 stars for this lovely story with two characters finding their right comeuppance.
I was granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...
Elizabeth Bailey
https://www.facebook.com/authorelizab...
Release date 05/01/2020
Blurb :
A shot across the marshes heard by a lone, disabled woman.
The Frenchman in Grace’s lean-to is at death’s door. An enemy spy? Who are the men who seek him? What secrets lie in the papers Henri entrusts to her charge?
Living alone but for her faithful maid, Grace’s reputation is at stake. But Henri’s safety comes first. If he is to have a chance, she must hold the authorities at bay.
Barely has he recovered when his pursuers come calling. Pitting those who would interfere one against the other, Grace risks all to keep her Frenchman alive.
Will the truth emerge before Henri’s enemies manage to silence him forever?
My review :
While it is a re-release, this book is my opportunity to discover Mrs Elizabeth Bailey’s work.
And I very much loved this tale, even if I am not fond of people beating themselves down for what they see as their insufficiencies, it was a lovely story.
Grace has everything to be proud of, she has acquired a hard won freedom, and a mean to gain money with her work. And while she has decided her impediment forbids her to have a family of her own, she has found a way to feel needed.
Still, with Henry’s input in her life, she discovers a new sense to her day. By disturbing her being, he fulfills a need she never knew she had. He gives her strength to fight for him.
Henri lives in the shadows, alone for so long he does not know any more who to trust and how to trust. Yet he is a good man, why he seeks only to protect Grace, she has saved his life and he refuses to repay her with more danger than she might already be in.
And as the tension builds around them as danger lurks from everywhere, I was in harmony with Grace, with a tattoo in my chest, my nerves fluttering while wondering how they might get out of the trap set for them.
Their tale is one of resilience and faith as secrets must be kept and truth might not be easy.
5 stars for this lovely story with two characters finding their right comeuppance.
I was granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...
May 1, 2020
Grace Dovercourt was an independent, resourceful and brave lady. Not only did she live on her own but supplemented her income by taking in writing for the community. Henri Rouselle is a handsome French man, who appears on her property and is injured. All Grace’s caring instincts come into play as she fights for his life. Henri has a number of secrets but this doesn’t stop their attraction to each other. However, Grace has a poor opinion of herself due to her disability and doesn’t think herself worthy of a handsome man like Henri. Elizabeth Bailey certainly captures the essence of the time. The speech of the country folk and the ideas of propriety are exactly right. This was an enjoyable sweet romance.
April 26, 2020
Love and lies…
Ignoring the noises outside her house may mean the death of the man Grace and her maid, Jemima, find the next morning in the lean-to. She can only hope he does not succumb to the loss of blood and severe chill before the doctor arrives. It is even more distressing when the handsome stranger revives briefly and addresses her in French, imploring her to keep his papers safe. England is at war with France so he might be a spy but in any case Grace will allow no one to move him until his wounds heal, or God forbid, he dies. Her decision is bound to meet with resistance since whoever shot him is still at large and she is unmarried and lives alone with her maid. To say more would spoil the surprise.
This is a captivating story. The depth of plot and the well-developed characters pleasantly surprised me. I received it free but my review is voluntary and honest. I really enjoyed this book. You'll be in for a real treat!
Ignoring the noises outside her house may mean the death of the man Grace and her maid, Jemima, find the next morning in the lean-to. She can only hope he does not succumb to the loss of blood and severe chill before the doctor arrives. It is even more distressing when the handsome stranger revives briefly and addresses her in French, imploring her to keep his papers safe. England is at war with France so he might be a spy but in any case Grace will allow no one to move him until his wounds heal, or God forbid, he dies. Her decision is bound to meet with resistance since whoever shot him is still at large and she is unmarried and lives alone with her maid. To say more would spoil the surprise.
This is a captivating story. The depth of plot and the well-developed characters pleasantly surprised me. I received it free but my review is voluntary and honest. I really enjoyed this book. You'll be in for a real treat!
April 18, 2020
Touching Story!
This is a story about trust. Trusting one's heart. Trusting that both you and the other person is dong the right thing and trusting that what you know in your heart is the truth, this regardless of all else.
It has a beautiful love story unfolding between Grace, the English single lady with a deformed foot who cares for Henri, the wounded Frenchman. They do not realise how mutual their feelings are until it is almost too late and when they do, the story is pure heaven.
A beautiful tale that warmed my heart with quite believable characters and I would suggest this book for all lovers of a great historical romance.
I read an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of the ebook and my voluntary and unbiased review is recorded above.
This is a story about trust. Trusting one's heart. Trusting that both you and the other person is dong the right thing and trusting that what you know in your heart is the truth, this regardless of all else.
It has a beautiful love story unfolding between Grace, the English single lady with a deformed foot who cares for Henri, the wounded Frenchman. They do not realise how mutual their feelings are until it is almost too late and when they do, the story is pure heaven.
A beautiful tale that warmed my heart with quite believable characters and I would suggest this book for all lovers of a great historical romance.
I read an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of the ebook and my voluntary and unbiased review is recorded above.
November 20, 2017
one of my all time favourites! Elizabeth bailey is a very good author, and this one captured my heart. Grace is a strong character, brave and despite her disability she is independent; not only supporting herself, but giving employment to a maid. Without Grace Henri would not survive this adventure, but somewhere along the way he saves her too, bringing love to her life. Definitely worth reading!
April 23, 2020
Grace has learned to consider herself unmarriageable because of her lame leg, and therefore has no qualms about taking into her house a young man who she finds lying wounded and almost dead from loss of blood in her lean-to. But Henri excites a protectiveness in her - much needed, as he is in danger from the Frenchmen who shot him and still want to find and kill him, and likewise liable to be arrested by the English authorities and executed as a spy. She is unable to keep him hidden due to his injury, but manages to keep him safely in her house. But as her attraction to him grows, there seems no possible future that will avoid heartache, for even should he escape the dangers that beset him, there is no way he could ever love her...
A clean and well written story, with characters I cared about and a gradually unfolded mystery, this is a book that I can see myself re-reading. My one objection to the book was the (offscreen) premarital sex - no details at all are given, but it is clear that it happens, and I personally don't like that. However, most people will not have the same objection and I do appreciate the way that the author keeps it clean. All in all, a book I would recommend and an author look forward to reading more by.
Note that I received a review copy of the book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.
A clean and well written story, with characters I cared about and a gradually unfolded mystery, this is a book that I can see myself re-reading. My one objection to the book was the (offscreen) premarital sex - no details at all are given, but it is clear that it happens, and I personally don't like that. However, most people will not have the same objection and I do appreciate the way that the author keeps it clean. All in all, a book I would recommend and an author look forward to reading more by.
Note that I received a review copy of the book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.
February 26, 2021
Why on Earth would the title reveal something that is crucial towards the end of the book? The fact that Henri is a comte is his final ace, the fact which makes his case believable to everyone who might have doubted his motivations.
That is of course not the (only) reason I didn't enjoy this book was much as I usually enjoy Elizabeth Bailey's works. Henri's stubbornness to do anything that might help his case is frustrating, and although I know it is central to understanding Grace's feelings of inadequacy, there was far too much clumping and clomping. We already know about her condition, it would have been ok to say she's "walking" from time to time, when her gait is not relevant to the current situation.
Also, being fluent in French, the fact that often the French expressions thrown in just didn't make any sense (I'd say 90% of the "enfin" for example) make for a tedious read...
That is of course not the (only) reason I didn't enjoy this book was much as I usually enjoy Elizabeth Bailey's works. Henri's stubbornness to do anything that might help his case is frustrating, and although I know it is central to understanding Grace's feelings of inadequacy, there was far too much clumping and clomping. We already know about her condition, it would have been ok to say she's "walking" from time to time, when her gait is not relevant to the current situation.
Also, being fluent in French, the fact that often the French expressions thrown in just didn't make any sense (I'd say 90% of the "enfin" for example) make for a tedious read...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2019
Not clean
I believe this was an earlier book and as such contains an explicit love scene. The scene is completely unnecessary to the storyline. If I didn't enjoy the authors previous books I would completely stop reading them. The story was great and well developed, but ruined by the explicit scene. It would have had 5 stars otherwise.
I believe this was an earlier book and as such contains an explicit love scene. The scene is completely unnecessary to the storyline. If I didn't enjoy the authors previous books I would completely stop reading them. The story was great and well developed, but ruined by the explicit scene. It would have had 5 stars otherwise.
April 14, 2024
nice read
Henri is found on the premises of Graces home severely wounded and Grace makes up her mind that he will not die. Of course he is French and she is a single lady living alone with her maid which complicates the situation. So does his appearance and the many following circumstances that they must overcome to find their hea
Henri is found on the premises of Graces home severely wounded and Grace makes up her mind that he will not die. Of course he is French and she is a single lady living alone with her maid which complicates the situation. So does his appearance and the many following circumstances that they must overcome to find their hea
May 1, 2020
It was a good story but a bit too long. I enjoyed the writing and the storytelling but I do believe that it would be a more satisfying read if it was shorter since the story is simple.
Also the title reveals one of the main plot twists!
Also the title reveals one of the main plot twists!
December 29, 2021
So much fun!
April 13, 2024
This was another delightful read provided by Elizabeth Bailey. The story takes place in the country, for the most part in Miss Grace Dovercourt's home. Grace proves to be not only an independent spirit, but also quite strong-willed when those she cares about need protection. Henri poses a puzzle: who shot him, why is he in England; but Grace instinctly knows she can trust him.
With the "simple" country folk in supporting roles, there is a bit of dialectic speech. I thought it was well done and was not difficult to follow.
This is well paced and engaging.
I read a free advanced copy; the thoughts expressed are my own.
With the "simple" country folk in supporting roles, there is a bit of dialectic speech. I thought it was well done and was not difficult to follow.
This is well paced and engaging.
I read a free advanced copy; the thoughts expressed are my own.
May 13, 2016
More like 2 1/2.
Grace annoyed the bejesus out of me. There was really no reason for her to have such proprietary airs over Henri. And hide him/don't hide him/hide him and only she's smart enough to figure out where to hide him. Gah! I was happy when he finally came out of hiding thinking that FINALLY something would happen. But no. Back to more of Grace dithering.
I skimmed the last 25% and pondered what is read next to make up for this book.
Grace annoyed the bejesus out of me. There was really no reason for her to have such proprietary airs over Henri. And hide him/don't hide him/hide him and only she's smart enough to figure out where to hide him. Gah! I was happy when he finally came out of hiding thinking that FINALLY something would happen. But no. Back to more of Grace dithering.
I skimmed the last 25% and pondered what is read next to make up for this book.
July 11, 2009
This story was very slow at the beginning. I was tempted to put it down, because the plot was taking forever to develop. The story did pick up at about the last third of the story or so. It would probably be way too late for most readers to make it worthwhile.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews