The three marriages of the Grand Sophy
The three marriages of the Grand Sophy is a novel by Georgette Heyer . The book, which is set in London society in 1816, first appeared in the English original under the title The Grand Sophy in 1950. It is one of theauthor's Regency novels .
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Sophia Stanton-Lacy is a 20 year old woman who grew up as the daughter of a widowed British diplomat in various cities across the European continent. When her father is on a mission in South America, he sends her to his sister Lady Ombersley's family in London so that she can be introduced to society and find a husband. The mood in the Ombersley family's home is gloomy: because of Lord Ombersley's many debts, the eldest son, Charles, who has inherited a fortune from an uncle, has taken over the reins. In contrast to his easy-going father, he is a serious young man who has also become engaged to an equally serious woman, Eugenia Wraxton.
Sophy, who is very lively and independent, messes up life at the Ombersley house. Especially her habit of making her own decisions turns her cousin Charles against her, who is supported in his antipathy for Sophy by his sour fiancée Eugenia. Against the will of Charles, who is of the opinion that such a vehicle is not for a woman, Sophy buys a tall sports Phaeton . For him it is also incomprehensible that she wants to do the purchase of horses in person and gets the money for it herself from the bank, which is not fitting for a society lady. Finally, Sophy even threatens a moneylender with her pistol to force him to surrender a ring that her reckless cousin Hubert, a younger brother of Charles, has pawned. Your actual goal, however, is for Hubert to confide in his brother, which he then does of his own accord. Little by little Charles has to show his cousin Sophy respect, as he realizes that Sophy is not a spoiled little girl, but a self-confident and urbane woman who knows very well what she is doing and can do and has other moral criteria than mere conventions.
In the end, Sophy found three marriages to her own satisfaction: Her young cousin Cecilia realizes that her affection for the poor poet Augustus Fawnhope does not last and falls in love with the family preferred suitor Lord Charlbury. Eugenia is married to the hypochondriac Lord Bromford by Sophy, and she herself shakes hands with her cousin Charles, who has rediscovered his humor.
literature
- Mary Fahnestock-Thomas: Georgette Heyer. A Critical Retrospective . Prinny World Press, Saraland, Al. 2001, ISBN 978-0-9668005-3-1 , pp. 155-159 .