REVIEW: Lord Frederick’s Return by Catherine Kullmann
An older hero, an enigmatic heroine and a delightfully outspoken four-year-old. Throw scandal into the mix for a gripping and tender Regency love story
August 1816. Lord Frederick Danlow returns to England after spending 18 years in India. He plans to make a home for himself and his motherless, four-year-old daughter, Ruperta. Unsure where to start, he accepts an invitation to stay at Ponsonby Place, home of Colonel Jack Ponsonby who made his fortune in India, and his daughter Susannah, the mistress of the household.
Soon Frederick finds himself in need of a governess—and a wife? The more time he spends with Susannah, the more his admiration of her deepens. Is she the woman with whom he will share his life?
He is resolved to court her, but then his younger brother Henry engulfs his family in an appalling scandal that could prevent any lady from agreeing to a connection with it. Now Frederick must support his family during this ordeal.
But what of Susannah? What will she say when she hears of the scandal? Should he, dare he offer her his heart and his hand?
CW/TW – Period Anglo-Indian terms are used, racism, bigotry, the hero’s brother
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Dear Ms. Kullman,
After enjoying “The Husband Criteria” two years ago I sat up and paid attention when I saw this book was due out. No, I shamefully admit that I haven’t gone back and read the first two books in that series but I’m motivated to read one you’ve mentioned as related to this one because – whoa – something happens in this story that I wasn’t expecting.
Lord Frederick Danlow is returning to his native England with his four year old daughter Ruperta who is adorable and not a plot moppet. His long time Indian mistress died after Ruperta’s birth so he arrives home with two ayahs and his valet but is unsure where to live and how to settle back into a country he’s not seen in years. Fortunately, he is given the name of a man who was in a similar situation and arrives at Ponsonby Place where he meets Miss Ponsonby and her father. Soon Frederick is seeking the Colonel’s and Miss Ponsonby’s advice about creating a home that respects the traditions of their Indian staff but before he can discern if she might share his growing interest in furthering their relationship, family drama strikes.
There is already a possible impediment to their future as Susannah Ponsonby is the illegitimate daughter of her father and his Indian mistress which some high-arse sticklers tut-tut about. When the truth of what Frederick’s brother did is revealed, will Susannah even be interested in risking a future with him and what will his family think of the connection he wishes to make with her?
This is a gentle, slow moving revelation of life in 1816 England with the glitter of aristocracy as well as the various ways that family and society can help or hinder you. Colonel Ponsonby tells Frederick that when he returned, his remaining family shunned him due to Susannah. She was courted by a man she (thank goodness) found out was a scoundrel. As she and Frederick get to know each other in the quiet of a country residence rather than in the spotlight of a London Season, they realize that they’ve probably spent more quality time together in a few weeks really getting to know each other than they would have in months of regular courtship.
A lot of the book focuses on the little details of social life in an English village in Kent with nitpicky status (to the big fish of that small pond) being high on the list of What’s Important. When news of the scandal emerges, it’s learned who are friends and who sniff and walk by without talking. It’s also very important that proprieties are adhered to as rumor can dash a woman’s hopes of a good marriage while accepting the introduction of an unknown into a small social circle is a risk if that person later is associated with something untoward.
Much time is also spent on Frederick becoming reacquainted with his family after so many years apart. Will they accept him and his daughter or shun them as Colonel Ponsonby and Susannah were? This is mostly delightful – unfortunately the Danlow family has one of the snooty types who would get on well with the snooty Kent people. Frederick’s brother and sister-in-law are staunch supporters of him, welcome Susannah and Ruperta and (figuratively) roll their eyes at the troublemakers. Meriel the Marchioness is such a fantastic character. That woman runs her household like a well oiled machine and gets stuff done.
I will re-warn readers who didn’t pay attention to the warnings above that several Anglo-Indian period terms are used such as ayah and bibi. Several British characters look down on Susannah and Ruperta due to their bi-racial status and illegitimacy. Frederick is the son of and younger brother to Marqueses and his brother George (a little) and sister Elizabeth (a LOT) think about how their brother Henry’s actions will possibly taint the family. What can be done to … well, not broadcast to a greater extent what happened while also
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One thing that did annoy me slightly is that at one point later in the book, Frederick says something to Susannah to the effect of “why didn’t your father marry your mother?” when he had never married his bibi either. So yeah, Frederick after you and she actually developed a love relationship, why didn’t you marry her? This is a book that shows how people navigated this society and how reputations needed to be protected as there were always eyes watching everything. Social rules were important and flouted at risk. But as I said about “The Husband Criteria,” these two characters look for “compatibility, kindness, someone who listens to them, and respects them” and in addition find love. B
~Jayne
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