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Eccentric Lady
Twenty-two and still unclaimed...
Lady Elizabeth Anne Haughton-Marshall came to London for the Season -- under duress! Titian-haired and lovely, she preferred the glories of the farm to the refinements of the city, a predilection that worked wonders in the henhouse, but did little to increase her marital prospects. And so her guardian packed her off to London to take full part in the Season *with conditions*: she was to dress properly, attend as many social functions as health and good sense would allow, and *not* avoid the company of suitors. Were she not to comply, she would lose control of her beloved farmlands.
Clever Beth, determined to outfox her uncle, set about shocking society with outlandish tales of life among the natives of Arabia, not to mention her stint in a nunnery ... or a stretch aboard a whaler. But rather than ward off suitors, Beth's taradiddles made her the rage of London, her hand sought by the cream of the ton. Yet the one man she pined for -- the tall, dark and dashing Marquis of Alspeth --- seemed eternally unamused by her. Poor Beth feared her heart would break, but then she did not know how curious are the ways of love.
Lady Elizabeth Anne Haughton-Marshall came to London for the Season -- under duress! Titian-haired and lovely, she preferred the glories of the farm to the refinements of the city, a predilection that worked wonders in the henhouse, but did little to increase her marital prospects. And so her guardian packed her off to London to take full part in the Season *with conditions*: she was to dress properly, attend as many social functions as health and good sense would allow, and *not* avoid the company of suitors. Were she not to comply, she would lose control of her beloved farmlands.
Clever Beth, determined to outfox her uncle, set about shocking society with outlandish tales of life among the natives of Arabia, not to mention her stint in a nunnery ... or a stretch aboard a whaler. But rather than ward off suitors, Beth's taradiddles made her the rage of London, her hand sought by the cream of the ton. Yet the one man she pined for -- the tall, dark and dashing Marquis of Alspeth --- seemed eternally unamused by her. Poor Beth feared her heart would break, but then she did not know how curious are the ways of love.
187 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 1983
53 people want to read
About the author
Jane Lovelace
3 books1 followerAfter spending thirteen years working as a civil engineer and surveyor, Jane Lovelace (a pseudonym for Dixie Lee McKeone) began writing romance and mystery novels.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 9, 2019
Lady Elizabeth Anne Haughton-Marshall, daughter of the late Earl of Farling, was more interested in managing the three prosperous Dorset farms left to her by her father, than in joining the social whirl of a London season. Horses and hens were her passion, not hunting for a husband. Unfortunately, Lady Beth's trustee and uncle, Lord Farling, was as determined to see her in the capital city, as she was to be in the country. Forced to accede to his plan, Lady Beth gives her word to attend a reasonable number of social gatherings, to behave with ladylike civility, and not to avoid potential suitors. As a woman of honor, Lady Beth must keep her word, and observe her uncle's restrictions, but as a woman of spirit, she cannot simply submit. And so she decides to make herself into an "eccentric lady," by telling charming but nonsensical tales. Imagine her surprise when she discovers that her tarradiddles have made her, not an outcast, but an immensely popular young woman, with a reputation for wit...
One of only two Regency novels written by "Jane Lovelace" (a pen name, according to the dust-jacket blurb), Eccentric Lady is a delightfully humorous romp, sure to please fans of the genre. I enjoyed reading of Lady Beth's many escapades - particularly her stint as "The Hen Herder" - and while I thought that Lord Alspeth was not as developed a character as he could have been, found his interaction with the heroine quite entertaining. I liked the supporting cast - Alspeth's young nephew, Mr. Thorpe, and Lady Beth's companion, Jane Westcott - immensely. I think this is my favorite non-Heyer title thus far, in my slow exploration of the Regency Romance!
One of only two Regency novels written by "Jane Lovelace" (a pen name, according to the dust-jacket blurb), Eccentric Lady is a delightfully humorous romp, sure to please fans of the genre. I enjoyed reading of Lady Beth's many escapades - particularly her stint as "The Hen Herder" - and while I thought that Lord Alspeth was not as developed a character as he could have been, found his interaction with the heroine quite entertaining. I liked the supporting cast - Alspeth's young nephew, Mr. Thorpe, and Lady Beth's companion, Jane Westcott - immensely. I think this is my favorite non-Heyer title thus far, in my slow exploration of the Regency Romance!
February 9, 2020
A bit of fluff. Kind of embarrassed to admit I read it. I liked that the heroine was a "farmer". Is this a kind of Georgette Heyer/Recency type romance? Close enough. If you like Georgette, you might like this, although G does it with more wit.
December 3, 2018
An entertaining little romance.
Lady Beth wants only to stay in the country breeding horses chickens and what have you.
Her uncle and executor of her father's will thinks she should go to London have a season and hopefully marry, first bullying her a little not to do anything to put suitors off
Dreading it Lady Beth has no choice but to agree but finds other ways to put suitors of until she meets Lord Alspeth her chaperones nephew.
Adventure follows, as she encourages his nephews romance, and misunderstandings in this delightful romance
Lady Beth wants only to stay in the country breeding horses chickens and what have you.
Her uncle and executor of her father's will thinks she should go to London have a season and hopefully marry, first bullying her a little not to do anything to put suitors off
Dreading it Lady Beth has no choice but to agree but finds other ways to put suitors of until she meets Lord Alspeth her chaperones nephew.
Adventure follows, as she encourages his nephews romance, and misunderstandings in this delightful romance
August 2, 2013
Lady Elizabeth Anne Haughton-Marshall is content to work on breeding chickens on her farm and wants nothing to do with fancy dresses or the London Season. Her uncle, the Earl, feels he's been neglecting his late brother's wishes and forces Lady Beth into coming to London for the Season by threatening to away her farms for good. Lady Beth bristles at the thought of having a chaperone and playing nice with the snobs of the haut ton and comes up with her own plan to follow her uncle's rules. Lady Beth's chaperone, Jane, far from being a dragon, is delighted and amused by Lady Beth's plans and takes eager part in Beth's shocking tall tales and crazy stunts. Beth thinks the ton will dismiss her and she can return home, but the crazier she acts, the more London society falls at her feet. Jane's nephew, Steven, the Marquis of Alspeth and his nephew Jonny are also in town for the Season. Beth befriends the callow youth and his charming uncle. Steven has a sense of humor and enjoys hearing about Beth's latest stunts while Beth tries to help young Jonny through the course of his first romance. When one of Beth's stunts goes too far, she risks losing her only true friend in London. Will his good opinion once lost stay lost forever or can she do something to make things right?
This is a really cute story in the vein of Georgette Heyer. It's not as zany as a Heyer novel but pretty close. I loved Lady Beth and she is exactly the heroine I would want to be if I were a heroine in a Regency novel. I'm not sure how realistic she is but I loved her. She could be a bit cruel but she never actually is because everyone seems to be aware that she's making fun of them and takes it in good stride. Steven is a good uncle, nephew and friend. That's about all the reader knows about him until the last page. It would have been nice if some of the story was from his point of view. As it stands, the romance isn't fully believable because the reader doesn't really know why she loves Steven. The plot starts off strong and fast but gets slowed down towards the middle/end with a lame subplot that gets in the way of the romance. I wouldn't even classify this novel as a romance but more of a traditional Regency hybrid comedy of manners love story. The romance comes at the very end a la Heyer. It's sweet and made me chuckle a bit. I really enjoyed this story. Fans of Georgette Heyer, Joan Smith and some of the older Regency authors will like this book.
This is a really cute story in the vein of Georgette Heyer. It's not as zany as a Heyer novel but pretty close. I loved Lady Beth and she is exactly the heroine I would want to be if I were a heroine in a Regency novel. I'm not sure how realistic she is but I loved her. She could be a bit cruel but she never actually is because everyone seems to be aware that she's making fun of them and takes it in good stride. Steven is a good uncle, nephew and friend. That's about all the reader knows about him until the last page. It would have been nice if some of the story was from his point of view. As it stands, the romance isn't fully believable because the reader doesn't really know why she loves Steven. The plot starts off strong and fast but gets slowed down towards the middle/end with a lame subplot that gets in the way of the romance. I wouldn't even classify this novel as a romance but more of a traditional Regency hybrid comedy of manners love story. The romance comes at the very end a la Heyer. It's sweet and made me chuckle a bit. I really enjoyed this story. Fans of Georgette Heyer, Joan Smith and some of the older Regency authors will like this book.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews