A Right Royal Scandal Two Marriages That Changed History by Joanna Major and Sarah Murden
What kind of scandals lurk in our Queen's past? What do the love stories of the Cavendish-Bentinck family have to do with her? The answers can be found in this delicious account of two marriages that shocked society in the Georgian and Victorian eras. These were the marriage of Lady Anne Abdy, the Duke of Wellington's niece, to Lord Charles Bentinck, the son of the Duke of Portland, and his son's marriage to a beautiful gypsy girl.
When the imperious Lady Abdy ran away from her dull husband with the rather impecunious but handsome and charming Lord Charles Bentinck, her relatives were horrified. Her husband actually sued Lord Charles for Criminal Conversation, and she had to endure financial hardship and all sorts of problems. It is sometimes a bit difficult for the reader to be sympathetic with Lady Anne, however, because of her fiery temper and the extremely high-handed way in which she treated her servants.
Like Father, Like Son
Handsome young Charley Cavendish Bentinck had a bright future ahead of him when he went up to Oxford in 1837 to study theology. This was threatened when he met a captivating and beautiful gypsy girl who came from a rough and ready working-class world. The gypsies were regarded as exotic at best and thieves and criminals at worst. When Charley's relations found out about his secret wedding, there was all hell to pay... Could such a match last?
I loved reading this book and it certainly made me want to read more about this distinguished family. I will read Fortune's Sisters again about the sisters who fell in love with the Wellesley brothers.
I received this free ebook from Net Galley in return for an honest review.
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