The M.C. Beaton Regency Collection

Electronic book text

Emily Goes to Exeter

A dead employer's legacy of five thousand pounds allows spinster Hannah Pym to resign from housekeeping and find adventure travelling the English countryside by stagecoach. She soon meets Miss Emily Freemantle, a spoilt violet-eyed beauty fleeing an arranged marriage to a rake she has never met.

What the girl's darkly handsome betrothed boards their stage, Miss Pym is certain Emily was rash to bolt from this aristocratic catch! And so as soon as the travellers repair to an inn, Miss Pym begins her matchmaking...

Minerva

Raven-haired Minerva, eldest daughter of an impecunious vicar, Reverend Charles Armitage, an impecunious country vicar in Regency England, announces that Minerva is to have her coming-out in London, the news is not well received by the rest of the family. Minerva is despatched to Town under the wing of the disreputable old Lady Godolphin. Her task - to find a rich husband and thereby restore the ailing family fortunes.

Refining Felicity

When Amy and Effie Tribble, two charming but impoverished spinster sisters, lose out on an inheritance, they place this advertisement in The Morning Post and hire themselves out as professional chaperones.

Felicity Baronsheath, their first assignment, turns out to be more of a challenge than they could have ever imagined. Not only is Felicity indifferent to the idea of marriage, she is also a spoilt brat! And when, despite their best endeavours, Felicity insists on remaining unrefined and hoydenish, the Tribbles begin to fear that their new venture will end in disaster...

The Miser of Mayfair

Every Season No.67 Clarges Street, a town house complete with staff, remains vacant. Could it be that it is associated with ill luck and even death?

Salvation seems to come in the form of Roderick Sinclair who confirms he wishes to rent the house for the current Season. The staff are overjoyed - until they find that Mr Sinclair is a terrible miser who is planning no parties. But it is Rainbird, No.67's clever and elegant butler, who sees through her fa ade and resolves to help in whatever way he can...