Mary Balogh, The Secret Pearl

The Secret Pearl

Mary Balogh

Dell, Dec 2005, $6.99

ISBN: 0440242975

With no protection any longer from lecherous relatives, penniless Isabella Fleur Bradshaw flees for London, but her only means of money is her body. Outside Drury Lane Theater, the recently war scarred and angry Duke of Ridgeway Adam Kent sees her standing nearby so assuming she is a whore, he buys Fleur's services. Though married and feeling guilty for breaking his vows, Adam roughly takes the street harlot; his hooker shows no reactions at all. He leaves her extra money and leaves.

Later Adam feels guilty about how harshly he took the young woman who now reflecting on her he realizes she is quality who must have fallen to poverty. He sends his secretary Houghton to find her to offer her the job of governess to his five years old daughter Lady Pamela. Fleur struggling with her only assignment as a whore accepts the job though she fears her duke only wants her as his mistress. However, on his estate the duke realizes he wants the governess not his cold termagant wife Sybil.

THE SECRET PEARL is a reprint of a strong Regency romance starring two fully developed characters. The key to this fine drama is how much the audience understands what drives Fleur and even more penetrating into his soul what demons move Adam. The villains (his wife and brother and her cousin) contain no redeeming qualities as they are self-indulged hedonists (have problems envisioning selfish Sybil pregnant even if that was her duty). Still Mary Balogh's novel was a bold historical when it first was released in 1991 and remains a powerful tale that sub-genre fans will appreciate.

Harriet Klausner