Once, when they were young and foolish and in love, Lord Sebastian Benbury and Lady Beatrice Coleville had made such a vow, promising to marry as soon as they could. Beatrice’s brother John had witnessed the vow. Then John had taken himself off to Italy and things had gone wrong. Lord Sebastian discovered that his father had wasted the family fortune. Believing that he did not have enough to offer the daughter of a powerful earl, Sebastian had withdrawn from Beatrice. The beauteous young girl, ignorant of his reasons, had accepted another man, the older and rich Lord Charles Manners. Sebastian let her go.

Five years have passed and Beatrice is recently widowed. John returns from his travels to discover what has happened. He reminds Sebastian and Beatrice of their binding promise. Not only was Beatrice’s marriage invalid, but neither can marry again unless this mess is untangled. This is no hardship for Beatrice; her marriage was a disaster and she has no desire to wed. But Sebastian has recovered some of his property and is planning to marry Beatrice’s sister. Instead, he finds that he already has a wife.

Beatrice’s acceptance of Manners suit had hurt Sebastian. Even more hurtful had been his discovery of Beatrice in the arms of another courtier, Sir George Conyers. He is convinced that his one time love and companion has become a wanton woman. For her part, Beatrice believes that Sebastian despises her. Not a good basis for a happy marriage, yet what’s done is done. Sebastian can marry no one else, so arrangements are made to formalize the promise made all those years ago.

The plot of Lord Sebastian’s Wife thus centers on overcoming what is indeed a very big misunderstanding. This may not appeal to many readers. Likewise, readers who are used to heroes and heroines who reflect the sensibilities of the contemporary world may not appreciate Cooper’s characters.

Lady Beatrice and Lord Sebastian are clearly sixteenth century characters. Beatrice has internalized the view that a husband has the right to chastise his wife and that the wife must simply accept her lot. She is consumed with guilt about her dalliance with Sir George and accepts (we would think all too readily) the contempt Sebastian displays towards her. Her chief consolation is in prayer and confession and repentance. This is realistic but not necessarily what modern readers are looking for in a heroine.

Sebastian is likewise a man of his times. He is proud and overbearing and all too willing to believe the worst of Beatrice. It takes him a long time (many would suggest too long) to understand what Beatrice has lived through or to recognize his own role in the misstep she made five years earlier. Nor, when he realizes the truth, does he grovel nearly enough for modern sensibilities.

If Beatrice and Sebastian have their problems, one place where they discover compatibility is in bed. Sebastian may not respect Beatrice, but he wants her badly. Beatrice is persuaded to accept him into her bed before the ceremony because he is her husband and she has a duty to submit. Again, Cooper is reflecting the realities of the time. The pleasure that the two find together is one of the best parts of the book and begins the process of breaking the chains of the past.

I agonized a bit over rating Lord Sebastian’s Wife. For my part, I found the story perfectly believable and appreciated how well Cooper recreated the realities of early sixteenth century society and especially the prevailing attitudes of and about women. But I likewise recognize that many readers may well find the heroine too submissive and the hero too arrogant. Still, Lord Sebastian’s Wife should appeal to those readers who appreciate a romance that truly reflects the realities of the past.

--Jean Mason