Reviews for Mistress Wilding
Review - Mistress Wilding
It wasn't perfect, but it seemed to be the book I was in the mood for, and I read through it quickly and enjoyed it all the time.
Reviewed by Roger on 2024-10-22 18:29:10
Mistress Wildingby Rafael Sabatini | |
| Category: |
"Fiction - Adventure" |
|---|---|
| Pages: | 272 |
| Year of Publication: | 1910 |
| Date Added: | 09/30/2022 |
| Date Read: | 10/22/2024 |
| Notes: | Anthony Wilding, insulted by Richard Westmacott, challenges him to a duel. But Richard's sister, Ruth (who dislikes Wilding) promises to marry him if he'll save her brother. Wilding agrees, the marriage takes place, and Wilding vows to earn Ruth's love. But events interrupt. The Duke of Monmouth invades England, hoping to raise forces to dethrone the Catholic King James. Wilding has been working behind the scenes for Monmouth, trying to raise funds and forces, and he's upset that Monmouth has jumped the gun and come too early. The Duke sends Wilding undercover to London to raise a rebellion in the city, but he finds the people inclined to wait results. Wilding receives a secret letter to the Duke from King Jame's secretary of state, but when he returns to the Duke he finds himself in disgrace for failing in his mission, so he doesn't deliver the letter. Meanwhile, Sir Rowland Drake, who wishes to marry Ruth for her fortune, hatches a plot to kill the Duke. He tells Ruth, and she, having gained respect, if not love, for Wilding, warns him, and Wilding is able to save the Duke. When the plot fails, Drake grabs Ruth and drags her off to the king's forces to be tried for treason for telling Wilding of the plot. Wilding follows and rushes headlong into the enemy camp. Drake exposes him, and he is sentenced to be shot immediately. Richard is on hand to argue successfully for his sister's life. Wilding manages to fake his death by falling into a ditch at the moment the firing squad fires. Ruth thinks he's dead, and while she has only scorn for Drake, he's on the verge of forcing her to marry him lest he betray Richard to the King's men. But Wilding shows up and explains to Ruth how he survived — by using the letter to blackmail the secretary of state into giving him evidence that he'd been working for the king the whole time. Wilding's friend, Tranchard, kills Blake in a duel while Wilding and Ruth, finally, profess their love for each other. |
| My Rating: | 8 |