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dangermousieI have a fondness for turn-of-the-century swashbuckler authors but Rafael Sabatini is probably my favorite of them all.
Recently I finished his Mistress Wilding which, no surprise, I loved.
MW is a 'lesser' Sabatini - it's not as famous as Captain Blood, or as good as my favorite Sabatini (even though it's not well-known at all) Fortune's Fool*. But it is still replete with intrigue, adventure, dashing heroes, strong-willed heroines, dastardly villains, and a lot of fun.
MW is set right before Monmouth's rebellion against James II (coincidentally, the event that starts Captain Blood). The book starts when Richart Westmacott, a drunk weakling, insults our hero, Sir Anthony Wilding, in an intolerable for the times fashion - surrounded by company he pours his wine, deliberately, onto Wilding. It is a completely insane act - the gentleman's code requires a duel to satisfy the loss of honor and Richard is not only cowardly, he is no good with a sword, while Wilding is a master. The thing is, Wilding has been courting Richard's beautiful sister Ruth, and Richard (who hates Wilding due to an inferiority complex) believes Wilding would put up with much worse due to his love for Richard's sister.
One little problem. Richard has been poisoning Ruth's mind against her suitor (he does not want Ruth to marry and thus lose access to her fortune) and Ruth has, in consequence, has been quite horrible to Wilding and has goaded him so much, repeatedly, that he is done with his wooing and his pursuit. Poor silly Richard has no idea that angry Wilding would love nothing more than to make mincemeat out of Ruth's brother, and so of course calls him out on the spot.
When Ruth finds out, she is horrified. Either way lies death and disgrace - even if Wilding does not kill Richard, Ruth knows her brother is a coward and having to appear on any field of honor would expose him as such and thus his life might as well be over.
And thus cue to the crux of the novel - strong-willed Ruth alone in Wilding's house (her friend not being able to come with her to chaperon) begging for her brother's life. Wilding, still in love with Ruth but still bitter, offers her a solution. If she marries him, he will of course call off the duel - how could he duel his own brother-in-law? And after all, as he points out to her, she should marry him anyway - once the gossip finds out (as it surely will) that she visited his house alone, she will have no reputation left.
And we are off to the races! Enter rebellion, plots, counter-plots, executions, duels, Ruth falling in love with her own husband, plenty of hurt/comfort, Wilding being his awesome sexy self (I have a crush on him, I confess) and being ridiculously self-sacrificial to save Ruth and her horrid brother, repeatedly, when they fall afoul of various intrigues (the man basically gives up his position in life and any chance of dying in bed for their sake) etc etc.
Since this is not one of those awful 1920s romance novels, there is no raping or even a hint of such or even any making out until she falls for him. Thank you, Mr. Sabatini.
In any event, it's a wonderful, fun book. With a happy ending.
* I love Fortune's Fool so much - it deserves to be better-known! It's set in Restoration London and hmmmm, now that I think about it, is a little Chuno-like. Our hero, Randal Holles, is a mercenary roaming through London at the end of his rope - no money, no job (his father was one of the signatories of Charles I's death warrant so his career prospects are slim). He is basically starving to death. He lost hope a long time ago - right when he returned from his first war an idealistic proud soldier, and found out that his childhood OTP Nancy Sylvester, had died. He's had no meaning in his life since.
But he does have one last desperate chance to get out of the gutter - the dissolute Duke of Buckingham hires him to kidnap Sylvia Farquharson, a famous actress, one who's been refusing the Duke's advances and (per Duke's words) 'leading him on.' If Randal manages that, Buckingham promises he will get him a steady job. Randal is repulsed by this but he has little choice - dying of starvation is not really a fun option. So he agrees and carries out the plan only to discover..*da-dum*...that the actress he's kidnapped is none other than Nancy herself.
She remembers him as an honorable gentleman. He remembers her as an unworldly and pure girl. This is going to go well. Well=delicious angst.
Did I mention the Great Plague enters at this point?
Anyway, it's my favorite Sabatini (so angsty, so romantic, so much h/c, happy ending mmmmm) but nobody I know has heard of it.
You can find it to read on-line here.
Recently I finished his Mistress Wilding which, no surprise, I loved.
MW is a 'lesser' Sabatini - it's not as famous as Captain Blood, or as good as my favorite Sabatini (even though it's not well-known at all) Fortune's Fool*. But it is still replete with intrigue, adventure, dashing heroes, strong-willed heroines, dastardly villains, and a lot of fun.
MW is set right before Monmouth's rebellion against James II (coincidentally, the event that starts Captain Blood). The book starts when Richart Westmacott, a drunk weakling, insults our hero, Sir Anthony Wilding, in an intolerable for the times fashion - surrounded by company he pours his wine, deliberately, onto Wilding. It is a completely insane act - the gentleman's code requires a duel to satisfy the loss of honor and Richard is not only cowardly, he is no good with a sword, while Wilding is a master. The thing is, Wilding has been courting Richard's beautiful sister Ruth, and Richard (who hates Wilding due to an inferiority complex) believes Wilding would put up with much worse due to his love for Richard's sister.
One little problem. Richard has been poisoning Ruth's mind against her suitor (he does not want Ruth to marry and thus lose access to her fortune) and Ruth has, in consequence, has been quite horrible to Wilding and has goaded him so much, repeatedly, that he is done with his wooing and his pursuit. Poor silly Richard has no idea that angry Wilding would love nothing more than to make mincemeat out of Ruth's brother, and so of course calls him out on the spot.
When Ruth finds out, she is horrified. Either way lies death and disgrace - even if Wilding does not kill Richard, Ruth knows her brother is a coward and having to appear on any field of honor would expose him as such and thus his life might as well be over.
And thus cue to the crux of the novel - strong-willed Ruth alone in Wilding's house (her friend not being able to come with her to chaperon) begging for her brother's life. Wilding, still in love with Ruth but still bitter, offers her a solution. If she marries him, he will of course call off the duel - how could he duel his own brother-in-law? And after all, as he points out to her, she should marry him anyway - once the gossip finds out (as it surely will) that she visited his house alone, she will have no reputation left.
And we are off to the races! Enter rebellion, plots, counter-plots, executions, duels, Ruth falling in love with her own husband, plenty of hurt/comfort, Wilding being his awesome sexy self (I have a crush on him, I confess) and being ridiculously self-sacrificial to save Ruth and her horrid brother, repeatedly, when they fall afoul of various intrigues (the man basically gives up his position in life and any chance of dying in bed for their sake) etc etc.
Since this is not one of those awful 1920s romance novels, there is no raping or even a hint of such or even any making out until she falls for him. Thank you, Mr. Sabatini.
In any event, it's a wonderful, fun book. With a happy ending.
* I love Fortune's Fool so much - it deserves to be better-known! It's set in Restoration London and hmmmm, now that I think about it, is a little Chuno-like. Our hero, Randal Holles, is a mercenary roaming through London at the end of his rope - no money, no job (his father was one of the signatories of Charles I's death warrant so his career prospects are slim). He is basically starving to death. He lost hope a long time ago - right when he returned from his first war an idealistic proud soldier, and found out that his childhood OTP Nancy Sylvester, had died. He's had no meaning in his life since.
But he does have one last desperate chance to get out of the gutter - the dissolute Duke of Buckingham hires him to kidnap Sylvia Farquharson, a famous actress, one who's been refusing the Duke's advances and (per Duke's words) 'leading him on.' If Randal manages that, Buckingham promises he will get him a steady job. Randal is repulsed by this but he has little choice - dying of starvation is not really a fun option. So he agrees and carries out the plan only to discover..*da-dum*...that the actress he's kidnapped is none other than Nancy herself.
She remembers him as an honorable gentleman. He remembers her as an unworldly and pure girl. This is going to go well. Well=delicious angst.
Did I mention the Great Plague enters at this point?
Anyway, it's my favorite Sabatini (so angsty, so romantic, so much h/c, happy ending mmmmm) but nobody I know has heard of it.
You can find it to read on-line here.
