Series: Alastair-Audley (Book 1)
Under the reign of Louis XV, corruption and intrigue have been allowed to blossom in France, and Justin Alastair, the notorious Duke of Avon and proud of his soubriquet 'Satanas', flourishes as well. Then, from a dark Parisian back alley, he plucks Leon, a redheaded urchin with strangely familiar looks, just in time for his long over-due schemes of revenge on the Comte de St. Vire. Among the splendours of Versailles and the dignified mansions of England, Justin begins to unfold his sinister plans -- until, that is, Leon becomes the ravishing beauty Leonie...
Unanswered questions.
Lovely, titian-haired Leonie, ward of the dashing Duke of Avon, had all Paris at her feet. Yet her true origins remained shrouded in mystery. And neither the glittering soirees nor the young aristocrats who so ardently courted her could still the question that plagued her young heart.
What was her mysterious parentage?
Just one man held the secret, the one she feared most in the world--the iron-willed Comte de Saint-Vire, deadly enemy of the Duke. He would give her the answer--for a price. But could she betray the man she secretly, helplessly loved? And could this proud young beauty hear to face the truth when it came?
This is one of my favorite Georgette Heyer books, and I was long overdue for a reread. Justin, Duke of Avon, and Leon/Leonie are two of the most enjoyable characters I have ever read. The duke is a notorious rake, arrogant, condescending, and seemingly obsessed with his appearance. His conversations are laced with insults and sarcasm. But he is also good to his friends and family, though he hides it well behind snarky comments at the same time. In the opening scene, he impetuously saves a young urchin from the clutches of the boy's older brother and decides to make him a page. It's clear that Justin has a plan, but keeps it a closely guarded secret.
Leon is young, innocent, but not naïve. He has seen a lot in his nineteen years and knows that he has gotten very lucky. His adoration of the duke is immediate and all-encompassing, and it seems that he will do anything that Justin asks of him. There is also a streak of rebelliousness, as shown by his tendency to question Justin's dictates when they don't suit him. He also has a volatile temper, which makes its appearance when anyone has the temerity to bad-mouth the duke.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first part of the book, as Leon settled into his role as a page. We get a hint that Justin is using him as some sort of revenge against his long-time enemy St. Vire, and small pieces of the plot are slowly revealed. It was fascinating to see Justin's cool and calculating actions as he put his plans in place. It was fun to see the changes in Leon - as he gets more comfortable, he seems to enjoy tweaking Justin's cool exterior. I liked seeing Justin's surprise, and then amusement at Leon's temerity. There were plenty of amusing moments involving Leon's opinions on what he sees. I especially enjoyed the trip to Versailles. But not everything is as it seems, and Leon is keeping a rather big secret - or so he thinks. I loved the confrontation between Justin and his friend Hugh, as the truth about Leon comes out between the two. I liked Hugh's protectiveness, even though it wasn't really needed.
The second part of the book, after Justin reveals to her that he's known all along that Leon is really Leonie, was even more fun to read. Leonie's disgust at Justin's plans to turn her back into a girl was hilarious, as was her attempt to bargain her cooperation for lessons in swordplay. I thoroughly enjoyed his sister Fanny's amazement at Justin's plans. She was, as Leonie said, rather "silly" but she had a kind and generous heart, and I loved the way she took to Leonie. I ached a little for Leonie as Justin left her in the country with her chaperone. She was a little bit lost and lonely without her " Monseigneur," at least until Justin's younger brother Rupert showed up. The two of them were quite the pair with their teasing and arguing. Leonie liked nothing better than getting a rise out of him, and she was very good at it.
Justin's actions have begun to bear fruit, and the unexpected appearance of St. Vire in England portends trouble. Even though I've read the book before, I was still on the edge of my seat when he kidnapped Leonie and made off with her. Rupert was hilarious in his role of white knight. I was a bit disappointed in Justin's first reaction to their disappearance, but he made up for it quite well when he discovered the truth. The complexity of Justin's machinations continued once they arrive back in Paris. Leonie clearly enjoys all the hoopla, and I loved her reactions to the various people she met. It's pretty obvious that she compares them all to her " Monseigneur " and most of them do not fare well in the comparison. As always, I was captivated by the sheer audacity of Justin's plans. I ached for Leonie when she heard the rumors and confronted St. Vire. Her love for Justin was quite clear and drove her to take the actions she did. I could feel Justin's pain and anger, and the bone-deep need to bring St. Vire to justice. The confrontation was masterfully done, and I loved how Justin had everyone spellbound as he carried it out. I also loved how all of their friends had important parts to play.
The scene between Leonie and Justin when he went after her was heart-wrenching and romantic. Throughout the book, Justin gradually changed from the cold, selfish man he used to be, to one who could show the love he felt. But though he admitted his feelings, he insists that he is too old and too steeped in scandal for her. I loved that Leonie still refused to hear a word against him - even from himself. These words said it best:
"Léonie, you will do well to consider. You are not the first woman in my life."
She smiled through her tears. "Monseigneur, I would so much rather be the last woman than the first,” she said.”
and
”His Grace looked deep into her eyes, and then went down on one knee, and raised her hand to his lips.
‘Little one,’ he said, very low, ‘since you will stoop to wed me, I pledge you my word that you shall not in the future have cause to regret it."
The secondary characters are great. There is Hugh Davenant, who plays the part of Justin's conscience. Justin's slightly flighty, but loving sister Fanny and her slightly stick-in-the-muddish husband, who come through when they are needed in France. Cousin Harriet, who played the part of instructor and chaperone, but in the end couldn't handle Leonie's unconventional personality. Justin's brother Rupert who is something of a comic foil, but also shows Justin's emotional growth thanks to Leonie. Lord and Lady Merivale, who have every reason to hate Justin, but again, are reconciled with him thanks to Leonie. Paris itself was another character, with the vividness of its world, from the streets to its glittering ballrooms to the colorful people who populated it.
There are a lot of people who find the age difference between Justin and Leonie (20 years) rather creepy, along with his seemingly patronizing attitude toward her. The age difference wasn't all that unusual for the time period, plus I felt that though Leonie was young in years, her soul was older thanks to the life she had lived. I also got the feeling that Justin's frequent use of "infant" and "my child" was his attempt to keep an emotional distance from her. It didn't work. I enjoyed seeing the reactions of each of their friends as they realized that Justin was in love with her.
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