It wasn’t surprising that many a young woman from the past decided that she didn’t want to be married. After all, her husband had complete legal authority over her, including her money, which he could spend as he liked without any regard to her feelings.
So it is not surprising that the young women we meet in A BEAUTIFUL DISGUISE have no wish to marry, even though their motivations may be very different.
For Eugenia “Genie” Ballantine, marriage is seen as a sacrifice for her family, a way to continue the legacy that her great-grandfather started now that her brother has died. As she wishes to marry for love, such a dynastic marriage is distasteful to her.
For Lady Lavinia Heming, marriage is seen as curtailment of freedom, for the poor young woman has been suffering from a nasty case of Scarlet fever, and has only just regained enough strength to enjoy society. Of course she doesn’t want to get married!
For Lady Marigold Fairfax marriage is out of the question, because she must help her brother put money on the table in order to survive. And this is where the cleverness of the plot shines, for this is Edwardian England, in the pre-war years, and people with aristocratic titles are expected to keep up appearances. But what if your father left you exactly nothing? What do you do then? So the resourceful, brilliant, Marigold has cobbled together a life which consists of cleverly redone dresses designed to make her look like a fashion plate, a secret hobby which enables her to hear things she shouldn’t (which she turns into much-needed funds,) and a wonderful family consisting of circus animals and their trainers.
The beginning of this novel is priceless! Sooo, if you love the world of Downton Abbey but are looking for something a little more adventurous, this novel is for you! Five Stars.
