Marrying for inheritance...
or love?
Lady's maid Jane Bailey's life is turned upside down by
the arrival of wealthy gentleman Robert Kendal. Traveling together to claim her
long-lost aristocratic grandfather's inheritance, they succumb to a mutual
attraction. Yet Jane knows a maid should not hope to love a gentleman, even if
she's suddenly wearing silk dresses and dining with the family. The will
shockingly decrees Robert and Jane must marry, but will it ever be for more
than convenience?
A thoroughly enjoyable Cinderella story. Jane is the
daughter of a gentleman who was disowned by his father when he married a
servant. Edward became a clerk, and they lived happily until he died when Jane
was eight. With his death came a loss of income, so Jane and her mother became
servants. Many years later, Mrs. Bailey achieved the post of housekeeper, and
Jane became a lady's maid. She is happy with her place in the world when a
stranger arrives with a message summoning her to meet her estranged grandfather,
Mr. Millthorpe.
Robert and his widowed mother have lived with his
great-uncle-by-marriage since he was eight. He has grown rather fond of the
grouchy, domineering, and sometimes manipulative old man and handles much of
the estate's business for him. He's not too happy to be sent on this extended
trip to retrieve an unknown woman with no explanation of why.
I liked the protectiveness that Jane's employer felt for
her and her desire to get to know Robert a little before helping him. I laughed
a little at everything Lady Kingswood put him through before she agreed to let
Jane leave with him.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between
Robert and Jane. It built slowly over the length of their journey and after they
arrived at Beechmount Hall. Jane intrigues and attracts Robert from the start,
but he is very cognizant of the difference in their stations. I loved seeing
them get to know each other. Jane's intelligence delights Robert, and they
while away the hours of travel talking about everything from politics to food
to what life is like as a servant. There are some sweet scenes of Robert's
gentlemanly behavior and growing feelings for Jane.
Jane's life takes an unexpected turn when she reaches her
grandfather's home. Thrust into a situation where she's no longer the servant,
but the served, she feels more than a little bit lost and out of her element. Her
grandfather makes cryptic statements that do nothing to ease her discomfort,
though he eventually loosens up. The scene involving her dress and her
grandmother's portrait was especially moving. Meanwhile, his wife does
everything she can to make Jane feel unwelcome. Robert's mother is sweet, and
Robert himself provides support and encouragement when Jane needs it. The time
they spend together pulls Robert and Jane closer, but their social stations
still present a considerable obstacle. Jane still plans to return to her post
as a lady's maid and feels the pull of her current life at Beechmount Hall.
I ached for all of them when Mr. Millworth died, but
especially for Jane and Robert. Mr. Millworth continued his manipulative ways
from beyond the grave, complicating matters for both Robert and Jane. Robert,
who had just realized the depth of his feelings for Jane, now fears she'll think
he only wants her for her inheritance. Neither one wants the other to feel
compelled to marry. Robert receives good advice from an unexpected source but
fails to use the one thing that would solve his dilemma. I hurt for Jane, who
gained what she wanted but without the one thing she craved the most. I loved
the ending as Robert's love showed through his kindness and compassion, and
Jane recognized it and dared to admit her own. The epilogue's peek into Jane,
and Robert's future was a nice wrap-up to the book.
I liked the attention to detail in describing a servant's
life and duties, from scullery maid to housekeeper. The differences in status
between the servants and their employers were dealt with realistically. I loved
the scene at the inn where a stunned Robert discovers what being a servant
rates for sleeping quarters. I loved what he did about it, not just for Jane
but also for the other maids. I liked how his conversations with Jane provided
an eye-opening view into a world he never considered before. I also liked the
scene at Beechmount Hall when Jane experienced being on the receiving end of
having a lady's maid. Her observations from her place in both worlds were a
fascinating peek at a group rarely featured.
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