I recently had the opportunity to read Georgette Heyer's Cousin Kate. The idea of a Gothic Romance presented by the famous Ms. Heyer sounded intriguing indeed. Then I read what Jane Aiken Hodge had to say about the book in her biography The Private World of Georgette Heyer and I began to wonder just what I had gotten myself into. I won't go into what Hodge has to say about the book, though she does call it "that odd book". Apparently Heyer was ill at the time she wrote it and not particularly enthusiastic about how it turned out. At the time she had been writing her Medieval novel (the historical novel left unfinished at her death that she considered to be her masterpiece), though I should say she wished she could be writing that other novel. Instead she was writing the sorts of books that paid the bills and earned her a devoted following.
I was a little apprehensive to read it. It was a slow starter for me, and it has a decidedly darker feel to it than any of her other books I've read. There is a thread of romance running through the story, though there is a more restrained and hushed feel to it--not the sparkly wit that's so in evidence in her other works. Heyer deals with far more serious themes this time around, which she wasn't quite so successful at compared to her more lighthearted Regencies.
Cousin Kate is Kate Malvern who is essentially an orphan at the ripe old age of 24. Her mother died when she was young, and Kate "followed the drum" as the saying goes. Her father was an officer and fought in the Peninsular War where she travelled where he did. Though of good stock, at his death Kate's father left her with nothing but debts, so she finds herself impoverished and must find her own way in the world. Perhaps that's nothing for us, but for a young woman in Regency England of good parentage and no family or money, she has few options. She's ill-suited for work as a governess, not having quite the right sort of genteel background and education useful for teaching her young charges, though she's a smart and industrious young woman. With nowhere to turn she goes back to her old nursemaid who's now married with a family of her own.
Mrs. Nidd isn't about to allow her Kate to try and find work as an abigail (read lady's maid) or worse as a seamstress. Surely a lady such as Kate, even in straitened circumstances, deserves a more respectable situation. So she writes to an aunt of Kate's without her knowledge. Minerva Broome is Kate's father's half sister. It's a bit complicated but surely family is family even if there was a falling out years ago. And Aunt Minerva Broome comes to her rescue takes her back to the majestic family estate, Staplewood.
Staplewood. This is where things get a little strange, but when it comes to Gothic novels, strange is usually par for the course. Kate is expecting to stay the summer and to serve as a companion for her younger cousin, Minerva's only child, Torquil. Torquil's a beautiful but odd boy. Her junior by five years, Kate seems to get on well with him--able to soothe his excitable nature. He suffers from a delicate constitution and often is laid low by terrible migraines. Due to his infirmities he's never been away from home to study or is allowed in greater Society to mingle. It seems to suit the family just fine as Torquil's father is also of a sickly nature. Many years prior Minerva and Sir Timothy removed to the countryside permanently to lead the quiet life. Staplewood became Minerva's obsession and she turned it into a showcase--a grand country manor that can rival all of the best of them.
Behind the beautiful facade, however, there's something not quite right about Staplewood, or it's inhabitants. Everything is quite proper and even elegant, but it's also lacking in warmth. The more time Kate spends with this new family of hers, the more she realizes that things don't quite add up. Underneath Minerva's friendly, poised exterior it becomes obvious that she's socially ambitious and manipulative. She cares for her family, but she seems to care for Staplewood more. And there's more to Torquil's illness than anyone is willing to share with her. After a while Kate begins to wonder just why she was really brought to Staplewood. Kate's one ally is her cousin Phillip who's not welcomed by everyone in the household, which makes for uncomfortable situations.
As Gothic novels go Cousin Kate has all the right elements. A menacing country house set on sweeping grounds, strange knocks in the night, locked doors, family secrets, and whispers of madness. The creepiness is there, but somehow the story still lacked the right tension that I've come to expect in a good Gothic novel. I hate to admit this, but it just didn't feel entirely convincing. There were aspects to the story I liked, but overall it felt a little uneven. While not my favorite Heyer, it was still an entertaining if unusual read. I'd recommend this one to Heyer fans who've read a variety of her work and want to try something a little different. If you're new to Georgette Heyer, I think I'd start with one of her other novels. My favorites so far being A Civil Contract, Faro's Daughter and Lady of Quality. Given that Heyer wrote over fifty novels, one that doesn't work so well isn't so surprising. And I still have lots to discover. Next up is The Corinthian, which I expect to be a little more up my alley!