Revisiting a classic I had seriously forgotten every aspect of – also, Cannonball

Sara Fielding and Derek Craven have a hell of a “meet-cute”. While researching her future novel in one of the seedier corners of the East End, Sara comes across Craven being held down and attacked by two thugs. They’ve slashed his face open, and she intends only to fire a warning shot from her pistol (which sh obviously keeps in her reticule for defencive purposes), when she instead ends up killing one of the assailants. She discovers that the man whose life she saved is the legendary gambling club owner Derek Craven, and takes him back to his club to be patched up by his staff and a doctor. While Craven thinks Sara is a great fool to risk her life wandering about the East End unaccompanied, his staff are deeply grateful to her for saving their boss, and Worthy, Craven’s factotum invites Sara to return whenever she pleases to visit the club for her research.

While Craven isn’t happy about it, Worthy and the rest of the staff at Craven’s worship Sara and let her roam wherever she pleases to do her research and even set aside space for her to work on her novel in the club. Derek wants nothing to do with the infuriating female, but can’t stop watching her either. Sara, on the other hand, doesn’t lie to herself and admits that she’s attracted to the bitter (and now literally scarred) man. She tries to get him to kiss her (her overly proper suitor back home doesn’t think such things are appropriate outside of marriage) and when he refuses, she conspires with Worthy and Derek’s friend, the Countess of Raiford, to get dressed up as a proper temptress and attends one of Craven’s one night wearing a mask. She manages to thoroughly enchant Craven then, and gets kisses and then some, but he is angry with her when he discovers her deception and forbids her to return to the club. Sara goes back home to Greenwood Corners and pretty much delivers an ultimatum to her suitor of four (!) long chaste years, Mr. Kingswood. If he doesn’t propose very soon, their courtship is over.

Lily Raiford can tell that her old friend is falling for Ms. Fielding and fighting it all the while. She invites both of them to a house party at her husband’s country estate in the hopes of furthering their romance. She had not counted on the nefarious spite of Joyce, Lady Ashby, Derek’s former lover who is still furious that he broke things off with her (she’s the one who ordered Derek attacked and mutilated in an alley). Joyce is determined that if she can’t have Craven, no one else will either, and she’s going to destroy anyone and anything he holds dear. Ironically, her evil plot is what actually compromises Sara to the point that Craven feels he has to marry her and Sara finally gets her man.

Craven’s not one for romantic sentiments and declarations, though. While Sara has admitted to herself that she loves him, and it’s clear to everyone around him that Derek is completely smitten with his new wife, he’s led a hard life lacking in warmer sentiments and still holds himself back in the relationship. That is until Joyce Ashby strikes again, determined to get her revenge once and for all.

As of posting this, the book is on sale at Amazon. Full review of the book on my blog.