Series:
Beauvallet (Book 1)
In the early 15th century, during the middle of the
Hundred Years' War, England and France were fighting for sovereignty over
France. It was a time of hand-to-hand combat, the invention of the longbow, and
real knights in armor.
Simon was born in 1386, the illegitimate son of Geoffrey
of Malvallet. After his mother's death in 1400, he and his half-brother, the
legitimate son and heir of his father, became great friends of the Prince,
fighting against France. Simon of Beauvallet is what he called himself. But as
the tales of his chivalrous exploits spread throughout the realm -- even to the
king's chambers -- the people who loved him would call him Simon the
Lynx-Eyed... the Soft-Footed... even Simon the Lion. Indeed, Simon was all of
these things. Valiant and strong, with a keen mind and fair visage, he had
defied his ignoble birth to become a page, then a squire, and at last a lord of
the land.
Friend of kings and princes, gentle and just with his
people, and known for his silence Simon seemed to lack only one emotion -- the
ability to love. In truth, not even the most lovely and charming ladies of his
time could stir the sleeping passion within him. For this they called him Simon
the Coldheart. Until he came upon Margaret, a French Lady. The Amazon. The
Tigress. After the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, he was sent to besiege Belremy,
where he met the heartless beauty whose courage and strength of will were more
than a match for this knight in gilded armor. Margaret, who eventually
surrendered to the English and became his bride. Although he had captured her
kingdom, Simon would never capture her heart....
This is one of my favorite Georgette Heyer books, and I
was long overdue for a reread. I love the blending of relatable characters and
history. This reread of the book was especially enjoyable as I recently visited
the Normandy region of France and recognized many of the place names -
especially Bayeux.
Simon is the illegitimate son of Lord Malvallet. When he
is fourteen, he wants more than a peasant's life and goes to his father's
greatest rival, looking for a place in his household. The meeting between Simon
and Fulk of Montlice is hilarious. Simon is cool and determined, while Fulk is a
blustering bear of a man. Fulk sees something special in Simon, and within a
few years, Simon goes from squire to knight to landowner. Simon is called
coldhearted, but he is ruthlessly honest and absolutely unflappable in all
circumstances. That coolheadedness brings him to the attention of King Henry
and sets him on the path to success.
I loved following Simon's career and activities, from his
training to battlefield experiences to his work taming his property. The story
is rich with the details of his day-to-day life and the life-changing events. The
one thing Simon lacks is any knowledge of love, for he has experienced none of
it during his life. His two best friends are Alan of Montlice, his mentor's
son, and Geoffrey Malvallet, his legitimate half-brother. I enjoyed the strong
friendship among these three men who always had each other's backs in battle
and life. Their interactions frequently show a different side of Simon than the
warrior knight.
Simon's life takes an unexpected turn when he is ordered
to take Belremy. Others have failed to best Margaret, Countess of Belremy, who
holds the lands. But Simon has never failed to achieve his mission and isn't
about to start now. Margot is equally determined to keep her lands. Their first
encounter gave a good preview of what they could expect from each other. The
sparks between them flew fast and furiously, but underneath the antagonism were
sparks of another sort, though neither wanted to acknowledge the attraction. Margaret's
stubborn refusal to give in causes her to do something that puts her and her
friend Jeanne in grave danger, and it's up to Simon to save them. It was an
eye-opening experience for both, and I loved its effect on them. The ending was
terrific.
A secondary romance between Geoffrey and Jeanne is a delightful
contrast to the fire between Simon and Margaret. It is through Geoffrey and
Jeanne that we learn a little more about Simon and Margaret as they share
stories about their friends.
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