This Regency is the story of Captain John Staple, back from the battlefront, bored with his aristocratic relations and craving adventure. Striking out across the country, he stumbles upon a toll-gate where a young boy, Ben, is left alone when his father suddenly disappeared. An encounter with Lady Nell Stornaway, the young woman who lives nearby, and the captain decides to stay, take over the toll-gate and solve the mystery of the missing man.
Heyer does not disappoint as she delivers some rollicking good fun along with some interesting characters (including a highwayman!) and a budding romance. But readers should be aware that this story is filled with much cant (both Regency, thieves and common folk cant). You can get the sense of what is being said by the context but I confess I was not always able to decipher the words. Still, I consider this a well-told story and a fun one.
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