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Lord Ryburn's Apprentice

by Laurie Bishop

Miss Georgiana Marland is a quiet, unassuming girl whose fondest desire is to be reunited with the mother who abandoned her at a girl's school three years earlier. Her mother became her world after the death of her father, and when her mother sent her away to school and then completely disappeared from her life, Georgiana felt as if she lost everything. Since then Georgiana has lived a very quiet life as a teacher with only her students to ease some of her loneliness. Georgiana is surprised to receive a letter from Lady Estcott claiming a distant kinship and inviting Georgiana to attend her. Grateful for a new situation, and secretly hoping for a little adventure, Georgiana eagerly accepts Lady Estcott's offer, hoping for a position as a companion that would allow her to get a small glimpse of society. When Lady Estcott informs Georgiana that she will be sponsoring Georgiana during the upcoming Season, and will advise her on a suitably modest match, Georgiana feels like she has stepped into a fairy tale. Unfortunately, her prince turns out to be Lord Ryburn, Lady Estcott's great-nephew, who may be princely in appearance, but is a complete ogre during his lessons.

As a teacher, Georgiana realizes that her skills in social decorum are lacking, but Lord Ryburn seems to take perverse pleasure in criticizing Georgiana and correcting her errors. If only Lord Ryburn didn't make her heart flutter with every look, she would never have fallen in love with him and her lessons would be easier, but as the daughter of a naval captain she knows that Lord Ryburn is far out of her reach and she can only watch in silent heartbreak as he courts someone else. What she wouldn't give for a fairy godmother to turn her into Lord Ryburn's ideal bride.

Hugh Fitzadam, Viscount Ryburn, is bored with the Season and bored with the debutante he has begun to court, but since no hint of scandal taints his world he accepts it. But, now his great-aunt Estcott has taken in a nobody and is planning to sponsor her for the season, and Aunt Estcott expects Hugh to help tutor the girl in social decorum. Determined to protect the family name, Hugh decides to do some investigation of his own into Miss Marland's background, most especially the disappearance of the girl's mother which seems unorthodox to him. If Georgiana's mother has fallen on hard times and is no longer respectable, the ensuing scandal would be insupportable. Hoping that Georgiana will be scared away and return to her teaching, Hugh reluctantly begins the lessons and in his determination to avoid scandal, corrects even the smallest of Georgiana's errors making him seem like an ogre. But the more time Hugh spends in her company, the more he comes to see that Georgiana is the only thing in his world that does not bore him and he is the one who ends up being instructed, in the lessons of love.

I highly recommend Lord Ryburn's Apprentice. Laurie Bishop has written a truly engaging and witty story that draws you in from the first sentence, and she has peppered it with real characters that enliven every aspect of the story. Hugh was never intentionally cruel towards Georgiana, though, at times, it seemed that way. Though Hugh did look down on Georgiana in the beginning for what he perceived as her aspiring to rise above her station, he eventually came to see her as modest and sweet, so unlike any of the debutantes of his acquaintance. Hugh was seeking only a practical alliance in his marriage, but a shocking lesson from his father taught Hugh that love truly is the only basis for marriage.

Georgiana Marland was a truly sweet heroine. She never took for granted the gifts that were offered to her and she never expected to receive more, which was very refreshing. She was grateful for all that was given to her without being ingratiating, and humble without being weak-willed. I usually like my heroines to be smart and sassy, especially in their dealings with the hero, but Georgiana was able to hold her own with Hugh in a very genteel manner, which I enjoyed.

For a sweet and charming regency that combines all the elements of your favorite fairy-tale and your favorite Jane Austen, look no further than Lord Ryburn's Apprentice.