Lady Windermere's Lover

April 14, 2014
The third book in the Wild Quartet (after The Ruin of a Rogue) features the previously absent Damian, Lord Windermere. Damian, the steadiest of four expelled Oxford companions, unwillingly married Cynthia Chorley in order to reclaim his childhood home, which had been purchased by her uncle. He then took a diplomatic post in Persia. Cynthia tries to make the best of her life alone in London, spending time with her absent husband’s friends. When Damian’s diplomat bosses summon him home to wheedle an art collection out of the hands of his former best friend, the Duke of Denford, who’s rumored to be Cynthia’s lover, the spouses are forced to reunite. The plot focuses on the love triangle and the external pressures on Cynthia and Damian’s relationship, with the diplomatic intrigue taking a definite secondary role. Neville makes numerous references to the events and characters of the previous books; newcomers will not be lost, but series fans will get the most from this installment.