A Makeshift Marriage

by Sandra Wilson and Sandra Heath

Book Overview

When lovely young Miss Laura Milbanke was asked for her hand in marriage in romantic Venice, the irresistibly handsome Sir Nicholas Grenville was at death's door. He had fought a disastrous duel to... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451122682
• ISBN13: 9780451122681
• Release Date: May 1983
• Publisher: Signet Book
• Length: 249 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.

Customer Reviews

be careful what you wish for . . .

A very popular plot-line in romance novels, especially Regency novels, is the marriage of convenience. Forced to adjust and make a life with each other, the characters frequently end up learning as much about themselves as they do about their new partner. The way in which such a marriage is brought into being varies widely, but the nobility of the English male--not just his rank--is usually at the forefront. He offers his name and protection to a young woman who is sorely in need of such a bulwark. Miss Laura Milbanke splurges her entire small inheritance for a dream trip to Venice; she's seen a picture of the famous Hotel Contarini, and has dreamt of little else since then. Knowing she faces a lifetime of boring service, the expense is, to her, well-justified. Her first night there, she makes the reluctant acquaintance of Sir Nicholas Grenville, who clearly would rather she didn't exist at all, whether in Venice or in England. But then, they spend a delightful day together, enjoying the scenery and differentness of Venice, and enraging the Austrian Baron Frederick von Marienfeld. The Baron promptly issues a challenge to Nicholas, one he cannot refuse, with the predictable result. Nicholas is brought back to the hotel, nearing death. Surprising everyone, Nicholas survives--barely, and in order to protect Laura, convinces her to marry him. Because of their one wonderful day, she grudgingly agrees to marry this man she's come to love, even though he is certain to die. Her persistence as a nurse returns him to a feeble degree of health, and eventually the pair return to England and his estate, King's Cliff. Nicholas had traveled to Venice to consider his position and that of the estate, impoverished by generations of unfeeling, uncaring heirs. In spite of local opposition, Laura implements the changes Nicholas had discussed with her, endangering herself as well as her husband, still not entirely well, in spite of the care of his old friend and local physician, Daniel Tregarron. Nicholas is discovered to be ill with malaria, but his former fianceé, Augustine Townsend, has no patience with illness; she alternates between Nicholas and his heir, who is also his cousin, James, the earl of Landford. One could say, 'just another routine romance novel', except that when the author is Sandra Heath, NOTHING is routine. There are twists and turns aplenty before the final, extremely satisfying conclusion.