Perhaps the best botched proposal since Darcy. And no offense to Lady Catherine de Bourgh (actually, yes, offense to Lady Catherine de Bourgh), I so much prefer the mighty Lady Salford. Tenderness, mischief, and sense of humor. I want to write a book just to fill it with those three things. Except I guess that would be redundant, since Heyer has already done so.
Fifth star just for the audio, because Nicholas Rowe rendered each character so fantastically that he had me belly-laughing right up to the end.
“I collect, from all I have heard, that she is unusual.”
“Oh, yes, she’s unusual,” he said bitterly. “She blurts out whatever may come into her head. She tumbles from one outrageous escapade into another. She’s happier grooming horses and hobnobbing with stable hands than going to parties. She’s impertinent. You daren’t catch her eye for fear she should start to giggle. She hasn’t any accomplishments. I never saw anyone with less dignity. She’s abominable, and damnably hot at hand, frank to a fault, and— a darling!”