Reviewed by Fran.
Set in London 1821, the Unmasking of Lady Helen is a sweet tale of the young
lady Helen who fears an incident in her past has lessened her chances of
gaining a suitor, and at twenty-four years of age it seems wise to put one’s
energies into other more interesting subjects than seeking a husband. Besides,
her father is an Egyptologist, his work infinitely pleasing and intriguing, and
Lady Helen is quite happy to become a rather studious blue-stocking and forego
marriage for a safe spinster existence. Albeit social gatherings and coming -out
balls must be attended for the sake of her sister, an unexpected incident closer
to home intrigues both her and her sister Diana, and the object of their
scrutiny is equally unaware he will be stepping across their threshold on
official and private business shortly. Hence, Jason Lord Peyton, a man of covert
play within the underworld of military spies soon finds himself caught up
within a case of Industrial espionage and new inventions.
A man with his own inner
disquiet in respect of a failed love match, similarly to Lady Helen, he is in
no great shakes to beget a wife for the ubiquitous heir to his title and
estate. One could say two kindred spirits have entered centre stage and both
equally intrigued and a little shocked by turn events, both equally bent on
solving the crime, and neither aware danger is closer at hand than envisaged,
until it is almost too late. Thus Lord Peyton’s greatest worry Lady Helen will
come to harm if she pokes her nose too deep into dark corners, both discover dark
corners can prove very intimate and steal attention from matters at hand. And
of course, for two people averse to marriage, though most definitely attracted one
to the other, decorum precludes any notions of love and romance: or does it?
This is a lovely sweet romance with likeable characters, an intriguing plot, lots
of little asides, and enough background details to make for pleasant escapism to
the past.
