A Question of Class

by Marian Devon

A PAIR OF LOOK-ALIKE RAKES FORM A WICKED WAGER WITH DEVILISH CONSEQUENCES FOR A LOVESTRUCK LADY!

After breaking off a loveless engagement, lovely Lady Venetia Lowther vowed she'd rather be a spinster than marry a man who didn't love her, despite what society expected.

But when she finally fell for a young man of her station, Major Gareth Wincanton, he was actually an actor posing as a gentleman to win a dubious bet!

And what was Venetia to do when the major's ginger-haired double appeared in town? Was he Nicky Forbes, the actor, or perhaps the real Wincanton in disguise? For if Lady Venetia felt the same thrill when she looked into his eyes, how could she ever decide between them...?

Mass Market Paperback

First published February 12, 1988

About the author

Aka Anne Devon and Marian Pope Rettke.

Reviews

[Preeti ♥︎ Her Bookshelves · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a comedy of errors!
And a true Quadrangle. Four equally important characters, two couples - seemingly interchangeable.
The author has managed to hold the suspense for the longest even as the reader thinks she knows who's going to end with whom. But still...
As a character wonders in the book - Love doesn't conquer all, now, does it?
'All' chiefly being the Class Divide. Well, read and find out!

The Major, Lord Gareth Wincanton and his doppelgänger, the out-of-work actor Nicholas Forbes (also an ex rank soldier) get enmeshed in a wager where the actor is to successfully impersonate Wincanton for a month long visit to stay with the Major's aunt in Bath whom he hasn't met since his Eton days. The Major doesn't wish to leave London as he's heatedly pursuing a headstrong and beautiful actress, Amabel. By the by, Nicky and Amabel are foster siblings with Nicholas having occasional unbrotherly feelings for her.
Now, the said aunt Lady Louisa Stoke is also a common aunt to Lady Venetia Lowther and her reason for orchestrating the Major's visit is throw the two together and hope for a match.
Venetia has recently gone through a broken engagement. Her fiancé had a mistress whom she feels he wouldn't have given up even after their marriage. And now she's content to remain a spinster but the aunt has other ideas.
So the 'Major' arrives and the two actually hit it off after an initial antipathy from Venetia. In fact, the aunt catches them kissing and announces their engagement in the papers. Meanwhile, Amabel is cunningly wrapping the Major around her little finger. She wants marriage and knows if she gives in easily to his seduction, he may move on sometime. So, no to carte blanches and the Major is feeling the parson's mousetrap closing in. But, the announcement in papers make him drop all and rush to Bath to confront Nicholas. Amabel too reads the papers and is furious at the Major and she too travels to Bath.
Here, in keeping with the comedy of errors theme, the Major chances to meet Venetia as Nicholas. Amabel tries to put a spoke in the nuptials by ambushing Venetia for a tell-all.
But, the men (and their two cohorts in the wager) refuse to end the charade in order to see the 'gentlemen's wager' through till the bitter end.
So, as you can see, there's a fair and equal chance for either couple to happen till a long time into the book. I started the book thinking the Major and Venetia to be my mcs and the traditional HR rationale too points to it. And so logic and pragmatism say one thing, feelings another and I kept shuffling them around as per my changing impressions about these characters.

Venetia is actually a sweet, considerate woman. She's more hurt by her erstwhile fiancé's betrayal than she lets on. Not her feeling maybe, but certainly her confidence in herself and in love marriages is hurt. She's the most stable and selfless character so I wanted the best for her or whatever she wished.

The Major is the typical soldier gentleman (to use it loosely). He 'wants' a woman, he lays siege. He has the actress in sight but he doesn't lose sight of the class divide either. So, will he or won't he? He wears his privilege with an off-putting arrogance and smugness, and is a snob with it.

Nicholas actually grows as a character. I thought him to be a bit actor to begin with and a lesser person than the Major but he truly comes into his own and shows some really sterling qualities. He has a charm, empathy, honor and a spine with it. A true gentleman.

Amabel is the youngest but the most pragmatic and clever. She wishes to rise in life and why not? But, it's not as if she's devoid of feelings and emotions. Quite the contrary.

Out of the identical looking men, both red-haired and blue-eyed, we get the impression that Nicholas is better looking while among the woman, Amabel is strikingly beautiful and temperamental while Venetia is attractive with a very pleasing personality.
I have few thoughts about how things are wrapped up but do not wish to spill spoilers.

Lady Stoke and her portly beau George/'Porge' are great supporting characters. She's a sweet good-natured woman, a free soul who lives life on her own terms and has a heart of gold. I love that she treats Nicholas the same way even after the exposure.

*Added to my shelves randomly treating both sets as mcs.*

[Lady Disdain · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first i couldn’t tell where this was going, if we were supposed to be rooting for love conquers all or what. It ended up being kind of pro-classes? Which is in line with all the characters, but consequently it felt more like an exploration of class differences and the inevitable practicalities of choosing a spouse than a romance. Again, not necessarily a criticism, it was just a bit Shakespearean with caricatures and silly mixups and a slap-dash happy ending that is all wrapped in such a way that you think about society while also having a bit of a chuckle over human foibles.

[Spazfungus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but not as good as her other regencies, mainly because the characters and the plot was too interesting and book was too short. However it was an enjoyable ride while it lasted. Loved the aunt, wish we saw more of her

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****Spoiler Summary****
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Finding her finacee's mistress, Venetia swears off men, moves in with Aunt Ellis in Bath. Ellis, not wanting a young companion (to change her social life) wants Venetia married, calls her heir, Gareth. To keep pursuing actress Amabel in London, Gareth sends actor Nicky in his place, wagering if he could maintain a month long deception. Nicky arrives, Ellis plots, Venetia and Nicky-as-Gareth get engaged. Gareth rushes to Bath, meets Venetia as Nicky, falls in love. Truth revealed. Gareth apologizes, becomes engaged. Amabel, chasing Gareth to Bath (for money) actually loves Nicky, plan to marry and start their own company