The Grand Sophy (1950) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit

Write a ridiculously simplified synopsis.

Characters/People edit see section history

• Miss Sophy Stanton-Lacy: "Sophy stood five feet nine inches in her stockinged feet, and was built on generous lines, a long-legged, deep-bossomed creature, with a merry face, and a quantity of glossy brown ringlets under one of the most dashing hats her cousins had ever seen."
• Charles Rivenhall: Charles is Lord and Lady Ombersley's eldest son. He is contracted to marry Miss Wraxton. His father has put the family in debt and Charles, having inherited from his uncle, has the family on a budget. Though he is twenty-six "...a rather harsh-featured countenance, coupled with a manner that combined assurance with a good deal of reserve, made him give the impression of being some years older. ... Mr. Rivenhall's notion of making himself agreeable in company was to treat with cold civility anyone for whom he felt no particular liking; and his graces -- far from winning -- included a trick of staring out of countenance those whose pretensions he deprecated, and of uttering blighting comments, which put an abrupt end to social intercourse."
• Cecilia: Lady Ombersley's nineteen-year-old daughter. "She was a very lovely girl, with pale golden locks arranged in ringlets about an exquisitely shaped face, whose delicate complexion was at the moment heightened, not unbecomingly, be an angry flush. ... She was a modest girl, quite unappreciative of her own beauty, and would have preferred to be fashionably dark."
• Sir Horace Stanton-Lacy: Sophy's father. He works for the government as a diplomat. "His forty-five years had treated him kindly. If his outline had thickened a little, his height, whcih was well above six foot, made a slight portliness negligible."
• Elizabeth "Lizzy" Rivenhall, Lady Ombersley: Charles' mother & Sophy's aunt. "Twenty-seven years of wedlock had left their mark upon her; and dutiful presentation to her erratic and far from grateful spouse of eight pledges of her affection had long since destroyed any pretensions to beauty in her. Her health was indifferent, her disposition compliant, and she was found of saying that when one was a grandmother it was time to be done with thinking of ones appearance."
• Lord Ombersley: Charles' father. "He had the happy disposition which made it possible for him to remain oblivious to the most blatant signs of discontent in his companions. In the same spirit he contrived with amazing ease to be cheerful under the humiliation of being little more than his son's pensioner."
• Lord Everard Charlbury: An extremely wealthy man who has requested permission to address Cecilia. Sadly, he has the mumps, and as Cecilia declares, "A man who would contract the mumps would do anything!"
• Miss Eugenia Wraxton: Miss Wraxton is engaged to marry Charles. According to Lady Ombersley, "Miss Wraxton is a most superior girl. I am sure she has a thousand excellent qualities. A most well-informed mind, and principles such as must command respect... Charles thinks Miss Wraxton's air of grave reflection very becoming!"
• Mr Augustus Fawnhope: The youngest son of Lord and Lady Lutterworth and a poet for whom Cecilia has formed an attachment. He is "quite beautiful" and "though his poems are very pretty, bound up in white vellum, they don't seem to take very well."
• Hubert: One of the eight Ombersley children. Hubert is a student at Oxford. He adores Sophy's horse, Salamanca, but Sophy suspects that some undisclosed trouble nags at him.
• Selina: One of the eight Ombersley children. Selina is 16.
• Gertrude: One of the eight Ombersley children. Gertrude is 12
• Amabel: One of the eight Ombersley children. Amabel is 10.
• Theodore: One of the eight Ombersley children. Theodore is a student at Eton.
• Maria: One of the eight Ombersley children. Maria is married and has a baby.
• Marquesa de Villacanas: First name: Sancia. The Marquesa according to Sophia "is quite stupid, and dreadfully indolent, like all Saniards, but so pretty and good-natured!" The Marquesa is to marry Sir Horace, but only after Sophy is married, as the Marquesa does not at all wish to be Sophy's stepmama.
• Mr Wychbold: A friend of Charles'
• Major Titus Quinton: An acquaintance of Sophy's. Quinton is on furlough. He is one of four men in uniform who greet Sophy at the park.
• Sir Vincent Talgarth: An acquaintance of Sophy's. According to major Quinton, "he has become a great man... A.D.C. to the Duke of York. You notice the air of consequence! But he is all condescension: not the least height in his manner -- yet!" Sir Vincent is surprised to see Sophy in London as he has not heard "the smallest rumor of any volcanic disturbances."
• Captain Lord Francis Wolvey: An aquaintance of Sophy's. He is stationed in England. Charles knew his brother, Freddy, at Oxford.
• Colonel Debenham: One of four men in uniform who meet Sophy in the park. Colonel Debenham has sold out. He "had excellent manners, and a kind heart..."
• Alfred: Eugenia Wraxton's brother
• Lady Brinklow: Miss Wraxton's mother
• Lord Henry Bromford: Lord Bromford had recently succeeded to a modest barony. Being the only surviving child of his parents, he was educated at home and much protected. He has returned from an 18-month sojourn in Jamaica.
• Mrs Mathilda Clavering: The housekeeper at sir Horace's house, Lacy Manor.
• Mr Goldhanger: a money-lender
• Miss Adderbury: The governess. "A little gray mouse of a woman... It might have been supposed that twenty-year's residence in the household, under the aegis of a kind-hearted mistress, and the encouragement of her pupils' affection, would long since have allayed Miss Adderbury's nervousness, but this had endured with the years."
• Mrs Ludstock: housekeeper
• Dassett: The Ombersley's butler
• John Potton: "Groom -- courier -- general factotum! Looked after Sophy since she was a baby." (Sir Horace)
• Jane Storridge: Sophy's maid. Jane was previously Sophy's mother's maid and was Sophy's nurse after her mother died.
• Salamanca: Sophy's famed Spanish horse.
• Jacko: a monkey
• Tina: Sophy's Italian Greyhound.
• Matthew Rivenhall: Charles' paternal uncle, deceased, having left his entire fortune to Charles.

Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Berkeley Square: Ombersley's London address
• Hyde Park: Most fashionable London park.
• Merton: The village where the Marquesa currently lives.
• Brazil: Where Sir Horace has been assigned, and where he cannot take Sophy
• Brighton: Seaside town made fashionable by the Prince Regent's summer palace.
• Bond Street: Fashionable shopping district in London.
• Thorpe: Estate Charles has inherited from his great-grandfather.
• Ombersley: The name of the Ombersley estate and title, currently held by Mr. Rivenhall, Charles' father.
• Oxford: Location of one of the most prestigious universities.
• Lacy Manor: Sir Horace's house in the country
• Ashtead: Location of Lacy Manor.

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Series & Lists edit see section history

Preceded by Arabella, and followed by The Quiet Gentleman .

Preceded by Mr. Perfect, and followed by Pride and Prejudice.

Preceded by Jewels of the Sun, and followed by Mackenzie's Mission.

Preceded by Saving Grace, and followed by Venetia.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Georgette Heyer (Author)

Other Contributors:

1. John Westbrook

First Edition edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
• Dewey: 813

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Georgette Heyer books contain no material inappropriate for readers of any age. Heyer does use a good deal of period slang, and so readers should have the ability and patience to determine meaning from context.

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Romance › Authors, A-Z › ( H ) › Heyer, Georgette
• Books › Romance › Contemporary
• Books › Romance › Regency