Full Description

Regency Buck

An altogether unsatisfactory arrangement

After their father's death, Miss Judith Taverner and her brother Peregrine travel to London to meet their guardian, Lord Worth, expecting an elderly gentleman. To their surprise and utter disgust, their guardian is not much older than they are, doesn't want the office of guardian any more than they want him, and is determined to thwart all their interests and return them to the country.

With altogether too many complications

But when Miss Taverner and Peregrine begin to move in the highest social circles, Lord Worth cannot help but entangle himself with his adventuresome wards...

WHAT REVIEWERS SAY ABOUT REGENCY BUCK:

"Clever!"
Library Journal

"Georgette Heyer is unbeatable."
Sunday Telegraph

"Light and frothy, in the vein of the author's other Regency novels, this follows the fortunes of Miss Judith Taverner and her brother, Sir Peregrine. A good introduction to Heyer's period stories..."
The Booklist

"Reading Georgette Heyer is the next best thing to reading Jane Austen."
Publishers Weekly

WHAT READERS SAY ABOUT REGENCY BUCK

"A writer of great wit and style... I've read her books to ragged shreds"
Katie Fenton, Daily Telegraph

"The conversation sparkles, the characters are real, and the descriptions stand before you. Can't miss it."

"It makes you believe in love all over again."

"Wonderful characters, elegant, witty writing, perfect period detail, and rapturously romantic. Georgette Heyer achieves what the rest of us only aspire too."
Katie Fforde

"Wholly captivating!"

"I have read all of Georgette Heyer's books, and Regency Buck remains my favorite—after a few dozen readings! The mysterious plot, the wonderful dialogue, the splendid Regency settings, the chemistry between the impulsive heroine and the sardonic hero—all these add up to a Regency masterpiece and the ultimate rainy night comfort read!"

"Georgette Heyer has no equal when it comes to that wonderful brand of Regency fun and laughter. Her research is so true to that age I feel as though I am riding in Hyde Park with the characters, or on the battlefield at Waterloo, Regency Buck lead me to read An Infamous Army and many of her other wonderful books."

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Excerpt

Excerpt

Excerpt from Chapter One

Newark was left behind and the post-chaise-and-four entered on a stretch of f lat country which offered little to attract the eye, or occasion remark. Miss Taverner withdrew her gaze from the landscape and addressed her companion, a fair youth who was lounging in his corner of the chaise somewhat sleepily surveying the back of the nearest post-boy.

‘How tedious it is to be sitting still for so many hours at a stretch!’ she remarked. ‘When do we reach Grantham, Perry?’

Her brother yawned. ‘Lord, I don’t know! It was you who would go to London.’

Miss Taverner made no reply to this, but picked up a Traveller’s Guide from the seat beside her, and began to flutter the leaves over. Young Sir Peregrine yawned again, and observed that the new pair of wheelers, put in at Newark, were good-sized strengthy beasts, very different from the last pair, which had both of them been touched in the wind.

Miss Taverner was deep in the Traveller’s Guide, and agreed to this without raising her eyes from the closely printed page. She was a fine young woman, rather above the average height, and had been used for the past four years to hearing herself proclaimed a remarkably handsome girl. She could not, however, admire her own beauty, which was of a type she was inclined to despise. She had rather have had black hair; she thought the fairness of her gold curls insipid. Happily, her brows and lashes were dark, and her eyes which were startlingly blue (in the manner of a wax doll, she once scornfully told her brother) had a directness and a fire which gave a great deal of character to her face. At first glance one might write her down a mere Dresden china miss, but a second glance would inevitably discover the intelligence in her eyes, and the decided air of resolution in the curve of her mouth.

She was dressed neatly, but not in the first style of fashion, in a plain round gown of French cambric, frilled round the neck with scolloped lace; and a close mantle of twilled sarcenet. A pokebonnet of basket-willow with a striped velvet ribbon rather charmingly framed her face, and a pair of York tan gloves were drawn over her hands, and buttoned tightly round her wrists.

Her brother, who had resumed his slumbrous scrutiny of the post-boy’s back, resembled her closely. His hair was more inclined to brown, and his eyes less deep in colour than hers, but he must always be known for her brother. He was a year younger than Miss Taverner, and, either from habit or carelessness, was very much in the habit of permitting her to order things as she chose.

‘It is fourteen miles from Newark to Grantham,’ announced Miss Taverner, raising her eyes from the Traveller’s Guide. ‘I had not thought it had been so far.’ She bent over the book again. ‘It says here – it is Kearsley’s Entertaining Guide, you know, which you procured for me in Scarborough – that it is a neat and populous town on the River Witham. It is supposed to have been a Roman station, by the remains of a castle which have been dug up. I must say, I should like to explore there if we have the time, Perry.’

‘Oh, lord, you know ruins always look the same!’ objected Sir Peregrine, digging his hands into the pockets of his buckskin breeches. ‘I tell you what it is, Judith: if you’re set on poking about all the castles on the way we shall be a full week on the road. I’m all for pushing forward to London.’

‘Very well,’ submitted Miss Taverner, closing the Traveller’s Guide, and laying it on the seat. ‘We will bespeak an early breakfast at the George, then, and you must tell them at what hour you will have the horses put-to.’

‘I thought we were to lie at the Angel,’ remarked Sir Peregrine. ‘No,’ replied his sister decidedly. ‘You have forgot the wretched account the Mincemans gave us of the comfort to be had there. It is the George and I wrote to engage our rooms, on account of Mrs Minceman warning me of the fuss and to-do she had once when they would have had her go up two pair of stairs to a miserable apartment at the back of the house.’

Sir Peregrine turned his head to grin amicably at her. ‘Well, I don’t fancy they’ll succeed in fobbing you off with a back room, Ju.’

‘Certainly not,’ replied Miss Taverner, with a severity some - what belied by the twinkle in her eye.

‘No, that’s certain,’ pursued Peregrine. ‘But what I’m waiting to see, my love, is the way you’ll handle the old man.’

Miss Taverner looked a little anxious. ‘I could handle Papa, Perry, couldn’t I? If only Lord Worth is not a subject to gout! I think that was the only time when Papa became quite un manageable.’

‘All old men have gout,’ said Peregrine. Miss Taverner sighed, acknowledging the truth of this pronouncement.

‘It’s my belief,’ added Peregrine, ‘that he don’t want us to come to town. Come to think of it, didn’t he say so?’

Miss Taverner loosened the strings of her reticule, and groped in it for a slender packet of letters. She spread one of these open. ‘“Lord Worth presents his compliments to Sir Peregrine and Miss Taverner and thinks it inadvisable for them to attempt the fatigues of a journey to London at this season. His lordship will do himself the honour of calling upon them in Yorkshire when next he is in the North.” And that,’ concluded Miss Taverner, ‘was written three months ago – you may see the date for yourself, Perry: 29th June, 1811 – and not even in his own hand. I am sure it is a secretary wrote it, or those horrid lawyers. Depend upon it, Lord Worth has forgotten our very existence, because you know all the arrangements about the money we should have were made by the lawyers, and whenever there is any question to be settled it is they who write about it. So if he does not like us to come to London it is quite his fault for not having made the least attempt to come to us, or to tell us what we must do. I think him a very poor guardian. I wish my father had named one of our friends in Yorkshire, someone we are acquainted with. It is very disagreeable to be under the gover - nance of a stranger.’

‘Well, if Lord Worth don’t want to be at the trouble of ordering our lives, so much the better,’ said Peregrine. ‘You want to cut a dash in town, and I daresay I can find plenty of amusement if we haven’t a crusty old guardian to spoil the fun.’

‘Yes,’ agreed Miss Taverner, a trifle doubtfully. ‘But in common civility we must ask his permission to set up house in London. I do hope we shall not find him set against us, regarding it as an imposition, I mean; perhaps thinking that my uncle might rather have been appointed than himself. It must appear very singular to him. It is an awkward business, Perry.’

A grunt being the only response to this, she said no more, but leaned back in her corner and perused the unsatisfactory communications she had received from Lord Worth. It was an awkward business. His lordship, who must, she reflected, be going on for fifty-five or fifty-six years of age, showed a marked disinclination to trouble himself with the affairs of his wards, and although this might in some circumstances be reckoned a good, in others it must be found to be a pronounced evil. Neither she nor Peregrine had ever been farther from home than to Scarborough. They knew nothing of London, and had no acquaintance there to guide them. The only persons known to them in the whole town were their uncle, and a female cousin living respectably, but in a small way, in Kensington. This lady Miss Taverner must rely upon to present her into society, for her uncle, a retired Admiral of the Blue, had lived upon terms of such mutual dislike and mistrust with her father as must preclude her from seeking either his support or his acquaintance.

Reviews

Reviews

Library Queue Patricia Seguine
Originally published: 1935
Published in trade paperback by Sourcebooks, Inc.: August 1, 2008

rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was my first Georgette Heyer book, and I really enjoyed it. This Regency romance novel will delight Jane Austen fans as well as those who find Austen’s stories a little too slow.

Judith Travener and her brother Peregrine are wealthy orphans who travel to London to meet their guardian. They expect to find their ward, Lord Worth, to be much older and are shocked to discover he is practically their own age. Life in London gets interesting with the new heiress and her brother in town whilst Lord Worth puts a crimp in everyone’s plans.

This is a perfect read for a cold and rainy day—a romance with a little mystery thrown in. My only complaint was that it was a little predictable for me. But I thoroughly enjoyed this and can’t wait to read more of Heyer’s works.

Thank you to Danielle at Sourcebooks for this book!

A Book Blogger’s Diary Rashmi
Review

Out of all Heyer novels, Friday’s Child has long been my favorite. But that was before I read, Regency Buck. Now this intriguing and tempestuous story has taken my fancy and I firmly declare it to be one of the best Heyers ever!



Both characters and circumstances alike keep this story ever-moving which is chock-full of descriptions of authentic events, places and people of that era. And not just descriptions! Beau Brummel, that real-life paragon of fashion, is a bona-fide character in this story and plays a small but important role in the events. However the heart of this story lies in the intense and blazing interactions between the beautiful Judith and her guardian, Lord Worth.

Starting from an unguarded incident at the beginning of the story, the red-hot nature of their relationship seems set. Time and again Judith tries to do something and Lord Worth comes along and thwarts it with contemptuous ease. This naturally irks the heiress immensely and neither she nor Worth see any reason to not make clear to the other, their mutual feelings of repugnance and intolerance. Spicy conversations are the norm between this duo. And yet the genius of Heyer lies in showing the audience how despite his (or maybe because of) these spirited exchanges, their romance continues to progress in the background, without the protagonists themselves realizing it. There is also a secondary romance brewing, but not much is made of it

However, contrary to the other Heyer novels, here Romance takes a subtle backseat to the more important Mystery element. Judith and her brother are the unwitting victims of a deadly conspiracy growing around them. Time and again, lives are put in danger and Heyer skilfully develops the plot so that it becomes difficult to distinguish between the red herrings and the actual culprits.

As always, Heyer manages to convey the fashion, the social dos and don’ts, and the various restrictions placed upon women of that generation. And again, as always, somehow Heyer’s heroine manages to time and again smash those pre-conceived notions and blaze a unique trail of her own. This is, by far, my favorite part of her books. Judith’s character is one of the best representations of this Heyer trait.

In Short
There’s everything to like and very little to dislike about Regency Buck, a compelling and provocative novel

Becky’s Book Blog Rebecca Laney
"Newark was left behind and the post-chaise-and-four entered on a stretch of flat country which offered little to attract the eye, or occasion remark."

Georgette Heyer was a wonderful writer. A beloved writer, in fact, known for her regency romances in particular. Her books are rich in detail—but not in a burdening, cumbersome way. And her characters are always nicely drawn from human nature—flaws abound, but that’s always a good thing. Vices and temptations abound in her works—drinking, gambling (be it at the gaming table or in a sporting arena), keeping bad company, and fashion to name just a few examples. (How is fashion a vice? Well, if you’re too vain or selfish and spend too much time primping in front of a mirror, then chances are you’re in for a comeuppance. Also, spending too much money on fashion—clothes, hats, gloves, jewelry, etc.—is just one way it can be a vice.)

In Regency Buck, we’ve got the story of a brother and sister newly arrived in London. Peregrine Tavener, the brother, and his older sister, Judith Tavener. They are coming to set up house, and perhaps even more importantly to meet their guardian. (Both of their parents have died. And the father’s will left them under the care of Lord Worth.) They are expecting an older gentleman. A man that would have been the contemporary of their father. Someone with gout presumably. What they find is that Lord Worth is a young man—just a handful of years older. He isn’t particularly pleased with this added responsibility, and he’s not shy admitting this to his wards. But for one year at least—until Judith’s birthday—Lord Worth is their official guardian.

The Taveners do set up their own house. Mrs. Scattergood, a relation (cousin???) of Lord Worth, is Judith’s companion. Needed during that time to protect young women and provide them with counsel on how to behave in society. An older woman to act as chaperone. Of course, Peregrine, offers protection to his sister as well. But who’s protecting him? Peregrine being prone to gambling and partying. When Peregrine becomes engaged to a young woman, Harriet, then a few strange coicidences occur to threaten his life which convinces Worth that someone is out to kill his ward.

The two stand to inherit much money when they come of age. And for this reason, suitors abound for Judith’s hand. One of her most persistent suitors is her cousin, Bernard Tavener. But Lord Worth turns them all away. Saying that no man will marry her while he is still her guardian. Something that both repulses and pleases her. She’s known some of the men are completely unsuitable—some as old as her father, all looking for a wealthy wife—but the idea of being controlled by a man irritates her at the same time.

Worth (Julian) and Judith (whom he persists in calling Clorinda) are always bickering. The banter flows easily between these two. While both tend to be a bit cranky around the other, the reader knows without any doubts that these two secretly feel very differently about each other.

I love Worth and Judith. I love the rich-layers of Regency Buck as well. For example, Judith’s reading of Sense and Sensibility. And the presence of Lord Byron and the discussion of his poetry. There are a dozen or so other things I could point out, but those are just two examples of bits that made me smile.

Curled Up With a Good Book Helen Hancox
Regency Buck features one of Georgette Heyer’s truly fantastic heroes, The Earl of Worth, with his sardonic humor, clever conversation and social position. The romance between him and Judith Taverner, his ward, is not necessarily the major thrust of the book. Although the slow-burn romance between them heats the pages, there is a great deal more to keep your attention. In fact, if I had any criticism of the book, it is that we are not there when Judith’s sentiments change toward her guardian. Presumably it’s when she spends Christmas at his house with a group of people, but it’s left to our imagination; most of the scenes between the two of them are arguments.

The setting of the book, in London and Brighton, is flawless historically. Reading of travel in Regency times is fascinating – the journey from London to Brighton by curricle takes 4½ hours, and Heyer lists all the posting houses and towns through which they travel. The detail of the Royal Palace at Brighton and the Royal Dukes and their behavior are also riveting. Many of the characters are historical, and it set me off reading up on their history. Not many novels can get me doing that.

The side plot of the threat to Peregrine Taverner’s life works reasonably well, but it is clear that Lord Worth isn’t trying to kill his ward; someone else has to be responsible. Still, reading about the scrapes that Perry gets into, and his enthusiasm over sailing at the end, is great fun.

An Infamous Army, a sort-of sequel to both Regency Buck and Devil’s Cub, contains characters from both. Captain Charles Audley, who features in Regency Buck, is the hero of An Infamous Army, but seeing Lord Worth and Judith after three years of marriage is a delight – that the spice to their relationship is still there, and the witticisms of Lord Worth haven’t dimmed. Peregrine and Harriet do less well in that book; perhaps that is a background comment about marrying too young.

Regency Buck is certainly worth adding to your Heyer library. While perhaps not as immediately engaging as some of the other books, its detail and the strength of the characters are well worth the time spent with them through these pages.

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Specs / Support

Trade Paper Specfications

• Length: 8.00 in
• Width: 5.25 in
• Height: 0.00 in
• Weight: 15.00 oz
• Page Count: 416 pages