Wendy Harris lives with her widowed mother in a small, thatched Tudor manor house, solely by the grudging consent of icy Lord Menrod. His younger brother married Wendy’s sister, a person considered a long way beneath him and now both have drowned in a tragic boating accident. They lived in India, which means that the two children they left now have to go and live in England—but who is going to look after them? Wendy thinks that it should be her, who can give them all the love she wishes she could give children of her own—but Lord Menrod wants them too. There is nothing for it but to go to law... is there?

This one is a lot of fun, as Wendy and her mother set about thawing their icy landlord. There is plenty to laugh at in this sunny book, from their delightfully plain speaking neighbor to the various scrapes that the characters land themselves in. From Mr. Everett’s dubious taste to dodgy lawyers, missing cats to roof trouble, there is always something amusing going on. Originally published back in 1982, this novel from the prolific pen of Ms. Smith enjoys its debut here in the UK, and reminds me once again why I enjoy Regencies so much, and hers in particular.