"... A long-lost family heirloom, a young heir falsely accused of murder, a band of smugglers, two utterly delightful Heyer heroines, a taciturn, but highly resourceful older gentleman - all play their parts in a tale funny enough to have you laughing aloud."—Publishers Weekly

One of Heyer's funniest Regency romances, and one of readers' favorites.

An impetuous young lady and a fugitive nobleman?
When spirited Eustacie stumbles into a band of smugglers, she is delighted to be having an adventure at last. Their leader, young heir Ludovic Lavenham, is in hiding, falsely accused of murder. Pursued by the law, Eustacie and Ludovic find refuge at an unassuming country inn.

And the delightfully sensible couple who try to keep them out of trouble...
The resourceful Miss Sarah Thane and the clear-thinking Sir Tristram Shield gamely endeavor to prevent Ludovic's arrest and Eustacie's ruin as the four conspire to recover the missing talisman ring that will clear Ludovic's name.

WHAT READERS SAY:

"A story in the manner of Jane Austen, of domestic comedy and love affairs."
Times Literary Supplement

"A sparklingly witty book that had me laughing out loud."

"A perfect blend of romance, adventure, and, especially, humor. One couple is young and brash and fun, and the other is older and more mature. Seeing the older couple's relationship grow is one of the story's highlights.

"This is a wonderfully rich novel, full of excellent secondary characters with lots of charm and wit."

"Nonstop laughter from cover to cover? probably because there are two heroes and two heroines, and their chemistry with each other is just sparkling!"

"Hilarious! A hallmark of most of Georgette Heyer's works is her sense of humor? her wit and comedic timing are at their best."

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