| First
Sentence: It was a quarter to four in the morning when
Mrs. Hester Kean, trailed by two liveried footmen, arrived
on foot at the Black Swan in Holborn.
Hester
Kean, cousin and waiting woman to the Countess of Hawkhurst,
has been sent to Yorkshire. There, she is to prepare her young
cousin, Mary, for life in London and at Court. Upon arriving,
she learns the father of one of her travelling companions,
papist Charles Fairfax, has been murdered. It is post Reformation,
and Catholics live under very strict rules and suspicion still
of being Jacobites. However, Hester takes a liking to Charles,
and Mary even more so. Gideon, now outlawed and stripped of
his title, follows Hester to Yorkshire. Appearing as "Sir
Robert," his intention is to persuade Hester to flee
with him to France. When a second murder occurs and "Sir
Robert" is accused, they must first identify the killer.
From the first page, we are immersed in the sights and sounds
of the 18th century. Miss Wynn is exact in every detail of
fashion, food, travel, customs and manners and the very strict
manners dictated by class.
Hester is a delightful, fully-dimensional character. Because
she falls into the category of a "poor relation,"
she is bound by stern conventions. At the same time she is
education, intelligent, and independent as much as allowed.
She is tactful and graceful at handling people and situations.
We feel for her; her desire for St. Mars, and her insecurity
due to the difference in their social and economic levels.
Yet because the story is told in 3rd person, we are able to
know what Hester does not. It's very gratifying.
Gideon has an inner strength about him. Rather than bemoan
the situation in which he finds himself, he gets on with things.
He is determined to win Hester, yet isn't foolish. Nor does
he do anything which might compromise her. He is gallant in
the best sense of the word, and considerate with a kindness
toward his groom Tom, and to animals. How could one not like
Gideon?
The history in the book is informative and interesting. The
mystery may seem, at first, to be secondary, yet the threads
are always there, becoming more visible all the time. When
they do come together, it is in a very satisfying manner.
"Acts of Faith" is a superb book. I do, however,
strongly suggest beginning at the start of the series with
"The Birth of Blue Satan," both to truly understand
the characters and their relationship, as well as having a
better understanding of the time, but also for the pure pleasure
of enjoying five wonderful books.
Reviews of other titles in this series
Spider's
Touch #2
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