Product Description

Sir Waldo Hawkridge, wealthy, handsome, eligible, and known as The Nonesuch for his athletic prowess, believes he is past the age of falling in love.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #742483 in Books
• Published on: 2005-02-22
• Released on: 2005-02-22
• Format: Import
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Review
Georgette Heyer is a highly gifted writer who creates amazing characters, witty dialogue, and fabulous intrigue that is combined with well-researched Regency cant, dress, food and behavior as no one else can. For any fan of Jane Austen's wonderful writing, Georgette Heyer is a wonderful continuation. (Danya Night Owl Romance 20090528)

I love Heyer's voice and style of writing. Her characters a lovely and the situations they find themselves in are hilarious. (Carrie Zimmerman The Book Girl 20090529)

I love the witty dialogue, the characters, the storyline, the setting, the action... It was a tremendously fun, light-hearted read. (Nancy Horner Bookfoolery and Babble 20090707)

I really enjoyed this book and Heyer's characterizations... The folks at Sourcebooks [are] doing a remarkable job in bringing back the magic that is Georgette Heyer's Regency novels. (Sharon Goforth Ex Libris 20090821)

The Nonesuch looks like a typical Regency romance, but as Georgette Heyer always provides, there is much more between the covers. (Lady Anne Jane Austen's World 20090824)

The biggest delight is the picturesque way that Georgette Heyer describes the period. (Christine Plaisted Books 4 Moms )

The characters are fun and alive. (Shawn Remfry Maymay's Memos 20090605)

The details in Georgette Heyer's books are amazing. They make you feel like you are really there in that time and location. A great read for those that just can't get enough of those sorts of details. (Nicole Heffernan A Blog of Bokos )

There is no doubt that Georgette Heyer is the queen of witty banter and sparkling repartee. Her wonderful use of language leads to a light and frothy novel that is so enjoyable that it is impossible to read it without smiling. (Carey Andereson The Tome Traveller's Weblog )

[I]it is so charming with the style of writing it becomes amusing and witty... The book made me smile. (Marie Burton The Burton Review 20090528)

About the Author
Georgette Heyer, who wrote over fifty novels died in 1974.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Excerpt from Chapter One

There was a twinkle in the Nonesuch's eye as he scanned the countenances of his assembled relations, but his voice was perfectly grave, even a trifle apologetic. 'I am afraid it is quite true, ma'am,' he said, addressing himself to his Aunt Sophia. 'I am the heir.'

Since the question, so indignantly posed by Lady Lindeth, had been rhetorical, this very frank and manly confession surprised no one. They all knew that old Cousin Joseph Calver had left his fortune to Waldo; and when Lady Lindeth had summoned him to account for himself she had acted on the impulse of the moment, and with no expectation of hearing the news denied. Nor had she had any very real expectation of Waldo's renouncing the bequest in favour of her only child. She naturally felt that no worthier heir to eccentric Cousin Joseph's estate existed than Julian; and she had done her best to introduce the noble orphan to him, even enduring the rigours of a week spent at Harrogate, when Julian had been an engaging child in nankeens and a frilled shirt, and she had tried (quite unavailingly) to gain entrance to Broom Hall. Three times had she driven out from Harrogate, the bored but docile little boy beside her, only to be told, twice, by Cousin Joseph's butler, that the Master was not feeling clever enough to receive
visitors; and, once, that the Master would thank her not to come pestering him, because he didn't want to see her, nor her son, nor anyone else. Enquiry had elicited the information that the only visitor ever admitted into the house was the doctor. Local opinion was divided, charitable persons maintaining that a disappointment suffered in his youth was responsible for this churlishness; others asserting that he was a muckworm who grudged every groat he was obliged to spend. Having had the opportunity to perceive the neglected condition of the grounds of Broom Hall, Lady Lindeth had ranged herself with the majority. A suspicion that Cousin Joseph might not be as plump in the pocket as was supposed had occurred only to be dismissed: Broom Hall, though greatly inferior in style and size to young Lord Lindeth's seat in the Midlands, was a very respectable house, with probably as many as thirty bedrooms. It did not stand in a park, but its gardens appeared to be extensive; and she was credibly informed that most of the surrounding land belonged to the estate. She had left Harrogate much inclined to think that Cousin Joseph's fortune was considerably larger than had previously been supposed. She did not grudge it to him, but she would have thought herself a very unnatural parent had she not made a push to secure it for her son. So she had swallowed her resentment at the treatment she had received, and had continued, throughout the succeeding years, to send Joseph small Christmas gifts, and periodical letters, affectionately enquiring after the state of his health, and regaling him with accounts of Julian's virtues, beauty, and scholastic progress. And after all her pains he had left his entire estate to Waldo, who was neither the most senior of his relations nor the one who bore his name!

The most senior of the three cousins gathered together in Lady Lindeth's drawing-room was George Wingham, the son of her ladyship's eldest sister. He was a very worthy man, however prosy; she was not particularly fond of him, but she thought she could have borne it better had Cousin Joseph made him his heir, for she was obliged to acknowledge that his seniority gave him a certain amount of right to the bequest. Not, of course, so good a right as Laurence Calver. Lady Lindeth held Laurence, the youngest of her nephews, in contempt and dislike, but she hoped she was a just woman, and she felt she could have supported with equanimity his succession to a fortune which he would have lost no time in dissipating.

But that Cousin Joseph, ignoring the claims of George, and Laurence, and her beloved Julian, should have named Waldo Hawkridge as his heir was so intolerable that had she been of a nervous disposition she thought she must have succumbed to Spasms when she had first heard the incredible news. As it was, she had been unable to speak for a full minute; and when she did she had merely uttered Waldo's name, in a voice so vibrant with loathing that Julian, the bearer of the tidings, had been startled. 'But, Mama—!' he had expostulated. 'You like Waldo!'

That was perfectly true, but quite beside the point, as she crossly told her son. She was, in fact, much attached to Waldo, but neither her fondness for him nor her gratitude for his unfailing kindness to Julian prevented her from feeling positively unwell whenever she thought of his enormous wealth. To learn that Cousin Joseph's estate was to be added to an already indecently large fortune did make her feel for a few minutes that so far from liking him she detested him.

She said now, in a peevish tone: 'I can't conceive what should have induced that disagreeable old man to choose you for his heir!'

'There is no understanding it at all,' Sir Waldo replied sympathetically.

'I don't believe you ever so much as saw him, either!'

'No, I never did.'

'Well, I must own,' said George, 'that it was an odd sort of a thing to do. One would have thought — However, none of us had the least claim on the old fellow, and I'm sure he had a perfect right to leave his money where he chose!'

At this, Laurence Calver, who had been lounging on the sofa, and moodily playing with an ornate quizzing-glass, let the glass fall on the end of its ribbon, and jerked himself up, saying angrily: 'You had no claim to it — or Waldo — or Lindeth! But I'm a Calver! I — I think it damnable!'

'Very possibly!' snapped his aunt. 'But you will be good enough not to use such language in my presence, if you please!'

He coloured, and mumbled an apology, but the reproof did nothing to improve his temper, and he embarked on a long and incoherent diatribe, which ranged stammeringly over a wide ground, embracing all the real and fancied causes of his sense of ill-usage, the malevolence of Joseph Calver, and the suspected duplicity of Waldo Hawkridge.

Until George Wingham intervened, he was heard in unresponsive silence. His oblique animadversions on Sir Waldo's character did indeed bring a flash into Lord Lindeth's eyes, but he folded his lips tightly on a retort. Laurence had always been jealous of Waldo: everyone knew that; and very ludicrous it was to watch his attempts to outshine his cousin. He was several years younger than Waldo, and he possessed none of the attributes which Nature had so generously bestowed on the Nonesuch. Failing to excel in any of the sports which had won for Waldo his title, he had lately turned towards the dandy-set, abandoning the sporting attire of the Corinthian for all the extravagances of fashion popular amongst the young dandies. Julian, three years his junior, thought that he looked ridiculous in any guise; and instinctively turned his eyes towards Waldo. They warmed as they looked, for to Julian Sir Waldo was at once a magnificent personage in whose company it was an honour to be seen, the big cousin who had taught him to ride, drive, shoot, fish, and box; a fount of wisdom; and the surest refuge in times of stress. He had even taught him something of his own way with the starched folds of a neckcloth: not the intricacies of the Mathematical or the Oriental Tie, but an elegant fashion of his own, as unobtrusive as it was exquisite. Laurence would do well to imitate the quiet neatness of Waldo's dress, Julian thought, not realizing that the plain, close-fitting coats which so admirably became Waldo could only be worn to advantage by men of splendid physique. Less fortunate aspirants to high fashion were obliged to adopt a more florid style, with padding to disguise sloping shoulders, and huge, laid-back lapels to widen a narrow chest.

Customer Reviews

Heyer moves into Austen territory, delightfully!
Instead of her more usual London or Bath settings, in this delightful novel - which is a comedy of manners every bit as much as a romance - Heyer takes her characters to the village of Oversett, in Yorkshire, close to Harrogate and Leeds. Sir Waldo Hawkridge has just inherited the run-down and ramshackle estate of Joseph Calver, purely on the basis that Sir Waldo was the only relative 'who paid as little notice of me as I did of him'. Naturally, there are relatives who are unhappy about this bequest, and these add a further element of humour to the tale, especially when one - Laurence Calver - follows Waldo to Oversett.

Society in Oversett may not be what Sir Waldo is accustomed to, but the local residents are very quick to include him in their activities: balls, routs, simple country dinners, the ridotto that no-one came to, and quiet evening entertainments. It helps that Sir Waldo is known in London circles as 'The Nonesuch', a great Corinthian admired by many. And his nephew, Lord Lindeth, a charming and handsome young man, is of course the delight of the young unmarried girls.

However, Sir Waldo appears to be most intrigued by Ancilla Trent, who is, she informs him, a most superior governess/companion. Her charge is the Beautiful Miss Tiffany Wield, quite the most lovely girl Sir Waldo has ever seen... but whose personality by no means matches her looks.

This is where Heyer's talent for humour comes to the fore. Tiffany is an incredibly selfish and self-centred young woman, and Waldo and Ancilla frequently join forces in a hilarious manner in order to make her see the error of her ways - not to criticise her, for she would refuse to listen, but to persuade her that such behaviour would cause her to lose her looks, or to make the mythical Marquis she wishes to marry to have a disgust of her.

Ancilla certainly finds Waldo's company congenial - and more than that, he makes her laugh. But it never occurs to her that his interest in her is any greater than the fact that she is intelligent and can actually make conversation - after all, one of these days he will return to London and forget all about the governess he knew briefly. However, she doesn't know Waldo...

This is a lovely, entertaining read, full of deliciously entertaining character studies (Tiffany, Mrs Underhill, the Squire, Mrs Chartley, Laurie Calver and many more), witty dialogue, a gentle secondary romance and, of course, the main love story, between Ancilla and Waldo. This is another of Heyer's 'older heroine' novels, subtle, romantic and very enjoyable. Highly recommended!

Another triumph
What follows is not a review - just a few thoughts about The Nonesuch. I would think anyone looking at the reviews here probably knows the plot anyway!

I really think that the whole of my adult reading life has been spent looking for something to fill in the gap left on Georgette Heyer's death. I first read Austen in high school and discovered Heyer in my freshman year at university when someone suggested to me that she was "the next best thing to Austen". I guess that was a truth self-evident.

I've read thousands of romances, sandwiched in between the serious history and biography I adore, on buses, trains, in the car, in waiting rooms, during hurried lunch hours and in bed at night to relax after another stressful, hectic day. But, really, if I am honest with myself, there are just a very, very few authors that are on my keeper shelf. Hundreds of authors have come and gone for me. Some I have dismissed after reading a chapter as too puerile, too facetious, too ill-researched, too derelict in the simple use of the English language.

Heyer, however, rarely disappointed. I adore her later books, filled with characters of great wit, insight, morality and self-knowledge who mature and come together through real life experiences - all conveyed in prose of the very highest standard. I guess that's it - Heyer's exquisitely wrought prose telling stories of genuine human emotional experience, all carefully and perfectly set in the Regency world - immaculately researched and painted for the eager reader.

The Nonesuch is, of course, one of my favourites - and I expect I would say that about most of her works. But Sir Waldo and Ancilla so perfectly epitomise adult love, good works and social constraints and decent moral standards that you have to love them. Village life is portrayed beautifully - so much remains the same!

Rant, rant, rant. Every time I go back to Heyer, I am demoralised when I pick up a modern "wanna be". What to do about that?

One of the great classic Regency Romances
From memory The Nonesuch was one of the first Regency romances that I read, I was very impressed, certainly enough to find more

The book is placed for the most part in Yorkshire, which at this point in time started to see the appearance of the Neuveau Riche, who had made their money from the wool or other trades that were happening in the area. As always Georette Heyer is accurate historically, I like the difference between what is acceptable at a private dance and a public dance for example. The language used is correct, the minor characters are interesting in themselves. Laurence Calver for example definitely has my sympathy.

From the dust cover of the Heinemann edition....

Old Joseph Calver's will is a surprise to all his relations and a disappointment to most of them. Its consequences also cause a great stir in the parish of Oversett in the West Riding when the news arrives that Sir Waldo Hawkridge is coming north to inspect his inheritance, the late Mr Calver's decaying residence, Broom Hill. For Sir Waldo is the most discussed man in London Society, wealthy, handsome, still a bachelor, the acknowledged leader of the Corinthian set, and known as the Nonesuch for his athletic prowess.

At the Manor and the Rectory, and particularly at Staples, the home of Mrs Underhill, where her tempestuous, beautiful niece, Tiffany Wield, and her governess-companion, Miss Ancilla Trent, are also living, there is excited anticipation of the increase in social activity which the presence of the Nonesuch will bring. The young men of the neighbourhood look forward to learning from him all the latest refinements of dress and the most daring new tricks to be performed with well-bred horses, while their elders express their doubts about the expensive habits in which they expect the None-such to encourage their wives and children. Both excitement and doubts increase when it is heard that Sir Waldo is accompanied by his young cousin, Lord Lindeth.

Miss Heyer writes with her usual wit and grace of the commotion which the arrival of the two fashionable strangers inspires, of Sir Waldo's real intentions and of the unexpected train of events to which they lead. The Nonesuch ranks amongst the most entertaining and accomplished of her Regency romances.