Probably the most important impediment to Lord Ragsdale and Emma being friendly was their mutual hate for each other's countrymen. It was clear that each had valid reasons for intensely disliking the other person's compatriots. Ragsdale had lost his father to Irish soldiers who slayed and abused his father's body. Ragsdale still had nightmares over the horrible things he saw (Ragsdale was severely wounded at the same time, including losing an eye).
Emma's hate for the English was for a slightly different reason; but the outcome was the same. Emma saw her whole family destroyed by the British. Ragsdale and Emma are mutually hostile towards the other's countrymen. Knowing this, Ragsdale did an amazing thing when his American cousin went gambling, lost all his money and wanted to use Emma (she was an indentured servant) for the next turn of the cards. Ragsdale traded his two best horses so Emma would not fall into the hands of the men at the gaming table.
When trying to figure out what to do with Emma, Ragsdale looked at his meager options. Earlier, he had let it slip that he needed help turning his life around. Ragsdale was a notorious gambler, drinker and kept a mistress (with whom he was bored to tears). Emma offered to be his secretary and help him change his life. Ragsdale needed help with his correspondence and bank accounts, so he agreed. He also needed the Ton to recognize the changes in him so he would be deemed worthy to marry Lady Clarissa Paltridge.
Ragsdale had not tended to the crofters on his lands and their homes were in pitiful shape. He really did not want to talk with his tenants because he thought he could not do the job as well as his father had. When Emma noted that the tenant's homes had not been attended to by Ragsdale's father, he became enraged with Emma's error in judgment. Later he finds the truth; thereby learning that his father, although a good man, had not worried with the needs of his workers.
This was a well-told story but I wasn't sold on some of the actions of the characters. To me, the resolution of Ragsdale's American cousins (at the end of the story) simply didn't ring true. I was stunned by Lord Ragsdale's actions at the end; part of me could see why he did it, but I'm still shaking my head. To be fair, I plan to read this book again and see if my attitude changes about the last pages. Don't get me wrong -- I'm glad I read this novel -- it was well-written.
Emma's hate for the English was for a slightly different reason; but the outcome was the same. Emma saw her whole family destroyed by the British. Ragsdale and Emma are mutually hostile towards the other's countrymen. Knowing this, Ragsdale did an amazing thing when his American cousin went gambling, lost all his money and wanted to use Emma (she was an indentured servant) for the next turn of the cards. Ragsdale traded his two best horses so Emma would not fall into the hands of the men at the gaming table.
When trying to figure out what to do with Emma, Ragsdale looked at his meager options. Earlier, he had let it slip that he needed help turning his life around. Ragsdale was a notorious gambler, drinker and kept a mistress (with whom he was bored to tears). Emma offered to be his secretary and help him change his life. Ragsdale needed help with his correspondence and bank accounts, so he agreed. He also needed the Ton to recognize the changes in him so he would be deemed worthy to marry Lady Clarissa Paltridge.
Ragsdale had not tended to the crofters on his lands and their homes were in pitiful shape. He really did not want to talk with his tenants because he thought he could not do the job as well as his father had. When Emma noted that the tenant's homes had not been attended to by Ragsdale's father, he became enraged with Emma's error in judgment. Later he finds the truth; thereby learning that his father, although a good man, had not worried with the needs of his workers.
This was a well-told story but I wasn't sold on some of the actions of the characters. To me, the resolution of Ragsdale's American cousins (at the end of the story) simply didn't ring true. I was stunned by Lord Ragsdale's actions at the end; part of me could see why he did it, but I'm still shaking my head. To be fair, I plan to read this book again and see if my attitude changes about the last pages. Don't get me wrong -- I'm glad I read this novel -- it was well-written.
