And Five Were Foolish

Sarah Vulliamy finds herself staring at a strangely specific clause in a late relative’s will: she and her distant cousin Virgil Pardoner must marry each other within three months or lose a massive fortune. The condition pits Sarah’s desire for the charming George Fulke against the cold calculus of wealth, while the will’s vague promise of “six hundred thousand pounds” looms over every bitter quip and reluctant sip of champagne.

Virgil, meanwhile, is already tangled in his own unrequited love for June Townshend, a woman far beyond his reach. As the two reluctantly measure the price of freedom against the prospect of an arranged marriage, their sharp banter reveals the absurdities of class, law, and the expectations placed on young women and men in Regency London. Listeners will be drawn into a witty, socially astute clash of hearts and wills, all before the first decisive choice is made.