The Foundling (by Georgette Heyer)

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I re-read my collection of Georgette Heyer novels regularly, and usually find that even if I recall the overall storyline, there’s a lot which I have forgotten. That’s certainly true of ‘The Foundling’ which I last read in 2018. I remembered that a young, beautiful and not very bright young woman was rescued by an altruistic nobleman, but I had somehow muddled the plot, in my mind, with ‘Charity Girl’. 

There are undoubtedly similarities between the two rescues, and the characters of the heroes, as well as the quiet women they end up falling in love with. The most marked similarity is perhaps that the novel is written from the perspective of the hero rather than the heroine. But I had entirely forgotten the early part of this novel. 

Gilly, the Duke of Sale, was orphaned at a young age and has been brought up by his Uncle. A lot of care and affection has been lavished on him, as he was quite a sickly child. But now he’s in his early twenties and feeling rather hemmed in not just by his family but by his valet, his groom, and other devoted servants. They’re all old family retainers who have been with him since his childhood and he’s far too kind to ask them to stop anticipating his every move. 

Gilly’s uncle tells him that he should really make a formal proposal to his good friend Harriet, something which was planned for them both by their respective fathers. Gilly is quite shocked to learn that this is expected, but can’t think of anyone else he would like to marry. So, obedient as ever to his family’s demands, he rides over to make her an offer…

There are two cousins: the older, affectionate and loyal Gideon, and the younger, rather wild Matthew. Matthew, we learn, has got himself into a difficult situation involving breach of promise to a beautiful young woman called Belinda. So Gilly determines to go to his rescue, posing as an ordinary person without a retinue of servants, and without recourse to his title. 

It’s basically a coming of age story; Gilly comes up against all kinds of obstacles and falls into different adventures. Along the way he takes a 15-year-old runaway boy under his wing, and the beautiful (but brainless) Belinda also foists herself on him, enlivening the conversation with requests for a purple gown.

Some of the adventures are quite hair-raising but Gilly rises to the occasion, discovering abilities and strengths which he didn’t know he possessed. He also realises that life is nowhere near so easy, or so pleasant, without his valet and some of the other staff around him. 

There’s much more to the story: subplots I had no recollection of at all, humorous asides when I laughed aloud, and some very poignant scenes that almost brought a tear to my eye. I thoroughly enjoyed re-reading this book and am already looking forward to reading it again in another five or six years. 

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