THE POSSIBILITY OF SCANDAL by Lesley-Anne McLeod
Uncial Press - www.uncialpress.com
ISBN 13: 978-1-60174-207-0
September 18, 2015
Regency Romance

Yorkshire, England, 1820

As the youngest children of the late Marquess of Cheriton, twenty-year-old twins, Lady Susan and Lord James Haythe, are looking for adventure. Both are bored with their lives among Society and are tired of living under the strict hand of their elder brother, the current marquess. They set out going north under assumed names, enjoying the freedom of being common folk.They decide to stop over when they reach the small town of Rotherham. Before moving on, they look around the town and buy tickets to a theater. It's a rather shabby place, but the entertainmentis good…until the heavy curtain falls down, rod and all. Only one of the players is hurt, as they learn when they run to help. Susan is a giving person, and James is always ready for anything. They like the challenges they see and end up going to work for the owners of the FortuneTheater for room and board. As it turns out, James is very handy and Susan full of good ideas…and she can sing!

The twins, using slightly different names (no titles) and passing themselves off as having been in the London theater world, enjoy working. They come to like Mr. Badgworthy and his sister Mrs. Mawley and the rest of the cast and workers very much. They give the pair a warm welcome, which givesthe more sensitive Susan twinges of guilt over lying to them.

One man is not so friendly, however. Mr. Badgworthy has a partner, a strange, taciturn man named Redwick. He is suspicious about the brother and sister from the start, but Redwick, himself, harbors secrets of his own. He reluctantly comes to realize that the brother and sisterhave energy and intelligence and are a great help in bringing the Fortune back from the edge of going under. James has a good time, though it's all still a lark to him. Susan, on the other hand, has never been happier. She dreads what her new friends—now including the enigmatic Redwick—would think of her if they ever learn of their pretense.

Ms. McLeod has made the Regency era her specialty, and her research shows. She also imbues her work with originality and creativity. Her plotting and characterization make THE POSSIBILITY OF SCANDAL a riveting read that will draw readers not only into the colorful theatrical world of the times, but into the lives of a varied group of personalities. And if you are interested in the Regency era, make a visit to www.lesleyannemcleod.com .

Jane Bowers