Synopses & Reviews
To all appearances, Miss Omega Chartley is a schoolteacher on holiday. In fact she is a gentlewoman fallen on hard times, left at the altar eight years earlier and forced to make her own way in the world after the loss of her family fortune. Omega's modest tour of England is cut short when she comes to the aid of a runaway. Jamie Clevenden has fled the clutches of a brutal uncle, and Omega is determined to help him escape the law, as represented by Bow Street Runner, Mr. Timothy Platter. Aided by a kindly war veteran and his adopted daughter, the two fugitives arrive at the home of Jamie's other uncle, the Viscount of Byford--none other than Miss Chartley's disgraced fiancé, Matthew Bering. There Miss Chartley will finally learn the secret that Lord Byford has hidden from her all these years, the story of a dark chapter in his past that stands in the way of not only their happiness but that of his nephew. Now they must face the truth together, no matter how dire the consequences. Originally published in 1989.
Review
"A milestone of originality. Carla Kelly moves on to yet another triumph in this immensely appealing tale. Superlative."
--Romantic Times
Review
Eight years ago, Miss Omega Chartley was left at the altar, and then her father died leaving Omega and her brother, Alpha, bankrupt. Omega, who has been teaching in Plymouth, now has a new position in a girls' school in Durham. She intends to explore England on her way north. These plans are abruptly changed when Omega helps a runaway boy, Jamie Clevenden, who is being pursued by a Bow Street Runner. Suddenly, Omega is on the run with the boy, who is trying to find his uncle, the Viscount of Byford. They are assisted by a soldier recovering from wounds received in the Battle of Waterloo and accompanied by a remarkable young Spanish orphan girl. Finally, this bedraggled foursome arrives at Jamie's uncle's estate, but that is a far way from the end of the story. Neither Jamie nor Omega receives the welcome they hope for. The Viscount is Matthew Behring, Omega's absent bridegroom.
This is a reprint of Kelly's 1989 Regency novel. It is well-written, well-plotted and retains its original charm. Omega is independent and strong for a Regency heroine. Once Matthew sheds his demons, he becomes a hero worthy of her.
--Historical Novel Society
Synopsis
Left at the altar 8 years earlier, Miss Chartley lost her family fortune and had to earn her living as a teacher. While on holiday she rescues an abused runaway pursued by the law. The fugitives flee to the home of Jamie's uncle, the Viscount of Byford, who turns out to be Miss Chartley's former fiancé. There she will learn Lord Byford's dark secret. Originally published in 1989.