Powder and Patch

One The House of Jettan
Two In Which Is Presented Mistress Cleone Charteris
Three Mr Bancroft Brings Trouble into Little Fittledean
Four The Trouble Comes to a Head
Five In Which Philip Finds that His Uncle Is More Sympathetic than His Father
Six The Beginning of the Transformation
Seven Mr Bancroft Comes to Paris and Is Annoyed
Eight In Which Philip Delivers Himself of a Rondeau
Nine Mr Bancroft Is Enraged
Ten In Which a Letter Is Read
Eleven Philip Astonishes His Uncle
Twelve Philip Plays a Dangerous Game
Thirteen Sir Maurice Comes to Town
Fourteen The Strange Behaviour of Mistress Cleone
Fifteen Lady Malmerstoke on Husbands
Sixteen Mistress Cleone Finds There Is No Safety in Numbers
Seventeen Mistress Cleone at Her Wits’ End
Eighteen Philip Takes Charge of the Situation
Nineteen Philip Justifies His Chin

Excerpt from Chapter One

If you searched among the Downs in Sussex, somewhere between Midhurst and Brighthelmstone, inland a little, and nestling in modest seclusion between two waves of hills, you would find Little Fittledean, a village round which three gentlemen had built their homes. One chose the north side, half a mile away, and on the slope of the Downs. He was Mr Winton, a dull man with no wife, but two children, James and Jennifer. The second built his house west of the village, not far from the London Road and Great Fittledean. He was one Sir Thomas Jettan. He chose his site carefully, beside a wood, and laid out gardens after the Dutch style. That was way back in the last century when Charles the Second was King, and what had then been a glaring white erection, stark-naked and blatant in its sylvan setting, was now, some seventy years later, a fair place, creeper-hung, and made kindly by the passing of the years. The Jettan who built it became inordinately proud of the house. Never a day passed but he would strut round the grounds, looking at the nude structure from a hundred different points of vantage. It was to be the country seat of the Jettans in their old age; they were to think of it almost as they would think of their children. It was never to be sold; it was to pass from father to son and from son to grandson through countless ages. Nor must it accrue to a female heir, be she never so direct, for old Tom determined that the name of Jettan should always be associated with the house.

Old Tom propounded these notions to the whole countryside. All his friends and his acquaintances were shown the white house and told the tale of its owner’s past misdemeanours and his present virtue – a virtue due, he assured them, to the possession of so fair an estate. No more would he pursue the butterfly existence that all his ancestors had pursued before him. This house was his anchor and his interest; he would rear his two sons to reverence it, and it might even be that the tradition which held every Jettan to be a wild fellow at heart should be broken at last.

The neighbours laughed behind their hands at old Tom’s childishness. They dubbed the hitherto unnamed house ‘Tom’s Pride’, in good-humoured raillery.

Tom Jettan was busy thinking out a suitable name for his home when the countryside’s nickname came to his ears. He was not without humour in spite of his vanity, and when the sobriquet had sunk into his brain, he chuckled deep in his chest, and slapped his knee in appreciation. Not a month later the neighbours were horrified to find, cunningly inserted in the wrought-iron gates of the white house, a gilded scroll bearing the legend, ‘Jettan’s Pride’. No little apprehension was felt amongst them at having their secret joke thus discovered and utilised, and those who next waited on Tom did so with an air of ashamed nervousness. But Tom soon made it clear that, far from being offended, he was grateful to them for finding an appropriate name for his home.

His hopeful prophecy concerning the breaking of tradition was not realised in either of his sons. The elder, Maurice, sowed all the wild oats of which he was capable before taking up his abode at the Pride; the other, Thomas, never ceased sowing wild oats, and showed no love for the house whatsoever.

When old Tom died he left a will which gave Maurice to understand that if, by the time he was fifty years of age, he still refused to settle down at the Pride, it was to pass to his brother and his brother’s heirs.

Thomas counselled Maurice to marry and produce some children.

‘For damme if I do, my boy! The old man must have lost his faculties to expect a Jettan to live in this hole! I tell ye flat, Maurice, I’ll not have the place. ’Tis you who are the elder, and you must assume the – the responsibilities!’ At that he fell a-chuckling, for he was an irrepressible scamp.

‘Certainly I shall live here,’ answered Maurice. ‘Three months here, and nine months – not here. What’s to stop me?’

‘Does the will allow it?’ asked Tom doubtfully.

‘It does not forbid it. And I shall get me a wife.’

At that Tom burst out laughing, but checked himself hurriedly as he met his brother’s reproving eye.

‘God save us, and the old gentleman but three days dead! Not that I meant any disrespect, y’know. Faith, the old man’ud be the first to laugh with me, stap me if he wouldn’t!’ He stifled another laugh, and shrugged his shoulders. ‘Or he would before he went crazy-pious over this devilish great barn of a house. You’ll never have the money to keep it, Maurry,’ he added cheerfully, ‘let alone a wife.’

Maurice twirled his eyeglass, frowning.

‘My father has left even more than I expected,’ he said.

‘Oh ay! But it’ll be gone after a week’s play! God ha’ mercy, Maurry, do ye hope to husband it?’

‘Nay, I hope to husband a wife. The rest I’ll leave to her.’

Tom came heavily to his feet. He stared at his brother, round-eyed.

 ‘Blister me, but I believe the place is turning you like the old gentleman! Now, Maurry, Maurry, stiffen your back, man!’

Maurice smiled.

‘It’ll take more than the Pride to reform me, Tom. I’m thinking that the place is too good to sell or throw away.’

‘If I could lay my hand on two thousand guineas,’ said Tom, ‘anyone could have the Pride for me!’

Maurice looked up quickly.

‘Why, Tom, all I’ve got’s yours, you know very well! Take what you want – two thousand or twenty.’

‘Devilish good of you, Maurry, but I’ll not sponge on you yet. No, don’t start to argue with me, for my head’s not strong enough what with one thing and another. Tell me more of this wife of yours. Who is it to be?’

‘I haven’t decided,’ replied Maurice. He yawned slightly. ‘There are so many to choose from.’

‘Ay – you’re an attractive devil – ’pon my word you are! What d’ye say to Lucy Farmer?’

Maurice shuddered.

‘Spare me. I had thought of Marianne Tempest.’

‘What, old Castlehill’s daughter? She’d kill you in a month, lad.’

‘But she is not – dowerless.’

‘No. But think of it, Maurry! Think of it! A shrew at twenty!’

‘Then what do you think of Jane Butterfield?’

Thomas pulled at his lip, irresolute.

‘I’m not decrying the girl, Maurice, but Lord! could you live with her?’

‘I’ve not essayed it,’ answered Maurice.

‘No, and marriage is so damned final! ’Tisn’t as though ye could live together for a month or so before ye made up your minds. I doubt the girl would not consent to that.’

A lovely love story in a timely era! Cleone is sought by many but for her childhood friend Philip he is the only one who’s heart she must recieve! In Cleone’s eyes he isn’t exactly what she is looking for.. too rough around the edges. Will he become powdered and patched for her , like all of her other suitors?

I don’t want to give away too much, this story is charming, romantic, and you get to experience the 1700’s, from the costumes, to the festivities, and the traditions of courting!

Georgette Heyer is a great romance writer and I believe she goes into great detail with the times and the characters! I’m a new fan of her writing!

I’ve only begun reading Heyer’s books as of late last year and can honestly say that so far every single one has been a source of pure delight. No surprise- Powder and Patch followed suit in keeping me well entertained. This book, sweet, short, hilarious, with its oh-so-French flair was completed in one sitting.

The book is about Philip Jettan, son to the extravagant Maurice and nephew of Tom. The latter are both highly fashionable men, who are well known in high society; whereas the good-natured, but somewhat simpleton and rough-on-the-edges Philip, leaves much to be desired.
Philip is, however, the loving flame of Cleone, a neighborhood friend and great beauty. Cleone, along with the rest of Philip’s small family, all agree that the young man should get a make-over to improve his style, fashion sense, etiquette and social skills. Philip is not too keen on this and believes he should be loved for who he is. He makes a strong point- Except that things change dramatically when a certain Bancroft comes to town…

Bankroft is handsome, well-mannered, sophisticated, well-versed, and ever so fashionable. He also has a way with the ladies, and Cleone notices him immediately. She is seemingly swooned by Bancroft who pays gracious attention to her every need. Philip notices this but believes that Cleone is his sweetheart and that no one can ever come between them. Cleone admits that she loves Philip but will not take him as he is…he definitely needs refining. She would love him to be more romantic and worldly.

The decision is taken by both father and uncle- Philip is to go to France to become more civilized and worldly. Philip, enflamed by jealousy, finally agrees, and off he goes to Paris. There, a huge transformation takes place. Elegance to the max, Philip is the center of all attention- no party is worth going if he’s not present. He’s got style, class, fashion…and, a way with words that makes every woman want to be with him.

When he comes back to England, he is a changed man. But Philip wants to know if Cleone really loves the man, or the powder. It is a struggle of wits, suitors for Cleone, love games, jealous rants and more. Cleone is not used to this man who is no longer simple…intriguing to the max, she cannot resist him, yet she will not succumb. What will happen? Do they end up together or will Cleone marry another?

I loved this sweet story filled with old French sayings that I hadn’t heard in years (Salipopette!) the details in fashion and Phillip’s mundane experiences were totally amusing. The characters are also perfectly suited to the story. Heyer brings in Louis XV, la Pompadour and other figures of the times to further immerse us into a world of glamour, extravagance and fun- all precisely intended to highten Phillips magnificent make-over. The setting, the language, the story; everything about this book makes it an extremely enjoyable read.

The Word: Georgette Heyer has a lot of good things going for her as a writer - she has a superb eye for historical detail and literary convention, a fun grasp of manners and humour, and a lively writing style. What she tends not to have, however, is a good sense of pacing. Many scenes in her novels are wasted on conversations that, while oftentimes funny and superficially amusing, have the depth and relevancy of a meringue. Her dialogue often meanders, as many of her characters tend to be easily distracted and amused by the fripperies of their time, and many of them have particular idiosyncrasies that usually involve repeating the same expression over and over and over and over (Rupert, from These Old Shades, for example, exclaims "Stap me if it didn’t!" every third sentence).

Perhaps that’s why, of the three Heyer novels I’ve read before this one (These Old Shades, Devil’s Cub, and False Colours), I’ve only really liked one of them (Devil’s Cub). The other two sprawled all over the place and even though the stories at the heart of those novels were often interesting, I usually ended up having to wade/skim through so much literary padding and whipped-cream conversations to get down to the meat of the narrative. And even Devil’s Cub sagged in the final act with a tiresome and repetitive chase sequence.

When I received Powder and Patch in the mail from the wonderful people over at Sourcebooks Casablanca, I was heartened, rather than disappointed, by the novel’s brevity (it’s only 183 pages long). As it turns out, I was right in this instance to judge a book by its word count, for Powder and Patch is a delightful romp - thankfully streamlined around a central narrative focus.

The novel quickly introduces us to two sweethearts who’ve grown up together in the country village of Little Fittledean: Phillip Jettan and Cleone Charteris. While they love each other dearly, Cleone can’t help but wish that Phillip was a little more polished. Despite the urbanity of his father (Sir Maurice) and his rakish uncle (Tom), Phillip is a country gentleman at heart. While honest and goodhearted, he bears his personal appearance no mind at all - he refuses to wear a wig, apply even the smallest dash of face powder, or wear clothes tailored more for fashion than practicality.

When Mr. Bancroft, a fashionable dandy, stops by in the village, his elaborate flattery charms Cleone and makes Phillip look twice as clumsy and boorish in comparison. Cleone despairs of Phillip’s bumpkin ways, but her distaste isn’t as superficial as it seems - she senses that Phillip assumes their relationship is a given, and she wants him to make at least some effort to please and flatter her instead of taking her affection for granted.

Phillip, meanwhile, challenges Bancroft to a duel and has his bumpkin ass handed to him. To pour salt on the wound, Cleone rejects his angry and awkward marriage proposal, saying she cannot marry him the way he is. Trapped in the worst day ever, Phillip goes home to find an unsympathetic father who actually agrees that his son could do with some polish.

Poor ol’ Phil is honest and plainspoken to a fault - he cannot comprehend why his father and girlfriend cannot just accept him as he is, or how slapping a bunch of powder on him would make any difference. However, he decides to turn their instructions into their own revenge, and hies off to Paris for six months with his uncle Tom to turn himself into the ultimate dandy. Phillip, using his considerable intelligence and determination, learns French, trains in fencing, outfits himself in costly jewels and silks, and becomes massively popular amongst the Parisian set for his wit and sophistication. During the months of his transformation, Cleone and his father receive no word from him and quickly come to regret their judgment of him.

The skeazy Bancroft arrives in Paris after six months to discover Phillip’s become a sensation. To recover his pride, he starts bandying Cleone’s name and the story of Phillip’s botched duel about. Phillip, his swordsmanship much improved, repays Bancroft for his humiliation in spades by soundly defeating him and forbidding him from saying Cleone’s name again. He then decides the time has come to return to England.

News about his duel travels faster, though, and Cleone overhears the gossip that Phillip and Bancroft came to blows in Paris over an unknown woman, and sheds many self-recriminating tears at her harsh rejection of his honest advances six months before. When Phillip arrives and hears of this, he decides not to inform Cleone that she is the unknown woman. Even after half a year, he hasn’t completely forgiven her, and wants to find out once and for all if she loves him for who he really is, or who he now pretends to be.

I adored this novel as much as Devil’s Cub, maybe even more than Devil’s Cub, for it has a much more cohesive narrative structure that lets little go to waste. In this instance, Heyer’s penchant for meticulous descriptions of clothing and accessories makes sense within the narrative. Fashion and outward appearances are the central theme of the story, and I enjoyed reading how Phillip comes to develop his own sense of style (he prefers sapphires over rubies).

As for characters, I feel I should deal with Cleone first since it’s too easy to dismiss her character as vain, shallow and silly. It is true that she makes a lot of foolish decisions in an effort to spite Phillip, but the reader never forgets that beneath her anger at Phillip’s affected demeanor, she’s more angry at herself. While Phillip may have taken her feelings for granted at the start of the novel, she discovers she took Phillip’s honesty and straightforwardness for granted and many of her antics are merely attempts to provoke Phillip out of his self-imposed mask of flippant wit.

There’s also an examination of the nature of the Alpha Male interspersed throughout the narrative. Phillip definitely fits into that category - he’s confident in himself and his own powers and feels no need to change for anyone. Cleone initially mistakes this confidence as self-importance - as a sign that Phillip cares only about himself and his comfort than in acknowledging her preferences - but by the end of the novel she misses his strength. She doesn’t want Phillip to obey her. She wants Phillip to fight her and win, rather than just acquiesce.

While Cleone spends most of this novel eating heaping servings of humble pie, Phillip comes into his own as well. Narrow-minded and possessive, he never thought he’d actually have to, you know, work to keep Cleone. Throughout the novel, he not only has to strive and fight to win Cleone back, but he also discovers that she’s worth fighting for.

Sweet and witty, detailed and colourful, often very funny, and this time to the point, Powder and Patch is a lovely romantic comedy that highlights the best of what Georgette Heyer has to offer.
A

Powder and Patch by Georgette Heyer is an exceptional story of the purity of the Regency period that we love so dearly. If you are a fan of Jane Austen and haven’t read Miss Heyer yet then what are you waiting for.

Cleone Charteris is a young lady of fine manners and undeniable beauty. As with most young ladies of this time however, she is also a bit of spoiled snob. She is of marriageable age and the young man who would give his life in order to protect hers is much to plain and common in his appearance for her.

Philip Jettan is a hard working man but one without polish. He is strong, honest and so sure that his dear love Cleone will accept him as he is that upon his asking for her hand in marriage he is devastated when she refuses because he is a plain country bumpkin instead of a painted popinjay.

Our author writes her stories with a purity of heart and soul that is nothing short of a breath of fresh air. She takes our plain country bumpkin and makes him into a finely polished gem that sparkles brighter than the stars in the heavens. A hero that is much sot after in the world of paint, powder and power that anyone who knew of him before said transition is utterly astonished at the remarkable transformation that has come about so quickly.

The hundred dollar question is though, will Philip remember his roots and his love for Cleone after all he has done and gone through? Will the lust of power and the challenge of the game of the upstairs society lure him towards total refinement or will his past have enough of a life line to him to keep him in check with who he truly is under all the Powder and Patch?

Format: Paperback

Dimensions
Length: 8 in
Width: 5.25 in
Weight: 9.00 oz
Page Count: 208 pages