Book review
I loved this angsty, fascinating story, with its clever twists and turns. Particularly well read by the extremely talented Kate Reading who has the most perfect voice for the deeper male and more high pitched female, her tones are melodious and pleasant and kept me listening deep into the night.
The main characters have been greatly traumatised by events in their past lives, and their reactions and coping mechanisms are similar. Both deal in lies and deception and in the case of the hero, Lord Vere, a false persona. A highly intelligent man, he has lived a double life for 13 years as a secret agent for the crown. Outwardly, to everyone else, except a very few close colleagues, engaged in the same work, he is a docile moronic but harmless fool. He hides his disguise even from his younger brother, his closest living relative. Freddie, like everyone else, believes that Vere suffered a serious head injury in a riding accident and as a result, has undergone a personality change. In spite of this he loves and protects his beloved brother but silently mourns his loss.
Elissande Edgerton has been browbeaten and oppressed by her vile, tyrannical and controlling uncle, Edmund Douglas, a seemingly wealthy diamond merchant. His niece has remained in her uncle’s household only because she cares for and loves her aunt who has been terrorised and bullied by her husband, apparently in the name of his obsessive love for her. That obsession has turned the previously beautiful woman into a shadow of her former self and worse into an addict, dependant upon laudanum. Elissande has learnt that the only way she can live through her nightmare and protect her beloved aunt is to paste a smile on her face and behave as if all is well and perfectly normal.
This is the woman Vere encounters on their first meeting, beautiful, serene and smiling radiantly, a facade, and one which he does not immediately recognise as such. She appears like a breath of fresh air, the ONE he has been searching for, the light at the end of his tunnel, his saviour and the peace for his troubled mind. Cut off from society, never visiting or being visited, Elissande is approached by her nearest neighbour, apparently in desperation. Lady Kingsbury has a small house party of guests in her newly leased house close by, but they are over run by a plague of rats, could Elissande be prevailed upon to house her guests while the rat catchers get to work? Edmund Douglas has recently left on business and isn’t expected back for three days, the company would be fun for the lonely young woman….why not? Especially when it is mentioned that there is an unmarried Marquess in the party. Her mind working overtime Elissande sees the possibility of escape from her prison, if she can bag a husband in three days she can escape with her aunt to safety with a husband to protect them.
Of course Lady Kingsbury and Vere are colleagues and are on the trail of Douglas for his nefarious dealings, all has been masterminded to gain entry into his home knowing he is away. At first sighting Vere almost forgets his idiotic role and just stares mesmerised at their radiantly smiling and charming young hostess. He is reminded by Lady Kingsbury of his purpose and hastily cloaks himself in his disguise, the amiable, brain damaged but highly eligible Marquess. During their first dinner party he treats Elissande to a conversation so bewilderingly contradictory, and stupid, that she is amazed but smiles on through it all, her resolve clear. It is this attitude that alerts Vere to her motives, he disappointingly comprehends her subterfuge and is on his guard.
She turns her attentions to his brother and Vere, despite his disappointment at her slyness, continues to be attracted to her, he is, nonetheless, determined that she will not entrap his brother. Vere and Lady Kingsbury manage to search Douglas’ home secretly and will leave shortly, time is running out for Elissande to achieve her objective, in desperation she sends a note to Freddie, ostensibly to show him a piece of artwork, that as an artist, he might be interested in, Vere intercepts the note and attends the clandestine meeting himself. Elissande is horrified but still throws herself at him and of course they are found and of course he must marry her which he does…reluctantly as sane Vere…but as idiotic Vere he appears to accept it. Mission accomplished, Elissande and her aunt are removed from the house in the nick of time.
This is where the title ‘HIS AT NIGHT’ comes from, for this is where Elissande begins to realise that Vere is not all he seems, at night he is not the bumbling, idiotic Vere. At first he is determined that this will be a marriage in name only, although various situations arise to put paid to this, he is, however, resolved that he will eventually have the marriage annulled, having no wish to be tied to a liar and a cheat, and she is not, after all the woman of his dreams as he thought she was…or is she? Lady Vere does not realise that this is his intention, believing that as the marriage has been consummated they are married for life. She is resolved to making it up to him.
There are a few very humorous moments, one where Vere, in idiotic mode, stares at Elissande’s shapely and ample bosom and minutely describes a cows udders, teats and all! Another where he drops an egg into his lap, leaps up to change his trousers, apparently forgets why he’s gone to his room to change and reappears with the greasy stain adhering to a certain part of his anatomy! All the same there was something poignantly sad about the whole situation. Kate Reading switches between the two Vere’s seamlessly, cleverly and movingly, I felt so sad for him, especially as the story progresses and snatches of his previous life emerges, although the full extent does not become apparent until the end, he is a desperately lonely man and like it or not he is falling for his wife.
To begin with, it all seemed a little too pat, and I could not imagine how it would all be resolved believably, but actually Sherry Thomas has come up with a very unusual and interesting premise and two very compelling characters who eventually recognise the need in each other and the similar character traits which compel them to act the way they do. The whole story is explained comprehensively… from Vere’s accident, his reasons for doing what he did, and also his deceiving of those he loved. Before he can become Vere proper again, he must face his demons and accept the condemnation he knows will follow and he deserves, a very moving scene with Freddie, following his decision to confess all follows….sniffs. These two damaged and traumatised people will eventually be each other’s salvation. Sensitively achieved Ms. Thomas. The audio version is compulsive, I listened almost non stop, I haven’t read the book but suspect that Kate Reading has added that extra little something that makes this a 5 star for me.
- Goodreads rating – 3.81
- REVIEW – Wendy