
audiobook
by G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford) James
TAUCHNITZ EDITION. - By the same Author.
CHAPTER I. - The Attack and the Rescue.
CHAPTER II. - The Supper at the White Hart.
CHAPTER III. - The Father and the Son.
CHAPTER IV. - The Post-boy and the Pot-boy.
CHAPTER V. - The old Mill.
CHAPTER VI. - In which Ned Hayward plays the part of Thief-taker.
CHAPTER VII. - Introduces Miss Slingsby to the Reader.
CHAPTER VIII. - Ned Hayward and Beauchamp pay a visit to Mr. Wittingham.
CHAPTER IX. - In which a very young Actor makes an unexpected Appearance on the Scene.
The narrator greets listeners with a delightfully wandering voice, slipping through the fashions and follies of the Georgian age as if they were a costume rack of endless variety. With a wink to history’s grand pageantry, the prose mixes gentle satire and lyrical description, inviting you to drift through breezy country lanes and the bustle of a world where coats, wigs and high‑heeled shoes change as often as the weather. This opening promises a story that values the pleasure of the journey as much as any destination, setting a tone that feels both scholarly and playfully informal.
Into this vivid backdrop rides a young gentleman of twenty‑seven, his horse cutting a path along a sun‑softened western road. As spring unfurls its capricious charm—bright skies, sudden showers, and the restless promise of new beginnings—an unexpected danger looms, hinting at a daring rescue and the tangled intrigues that will follow. Listeners will be drawn into a tale of youthful hope, mistaken identities, and the delicate balance between honor and adventure, all narrated with the same lively, meandering spirit that opened the book.
Language
en
Duration
~17 hours (981K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Charles Bowen from page scans provided from Google Books (Harvard University)
Release date
2016-04-30
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

d. 1860
Best known for historical novels that once rivaled the popularity of Walter Scott, this prolific Victorian writer mixed court intrigue, adventure, and romance in dozens of fast-moving books. His career also stretched beyond literature into public service, including years as a British consul abroad.
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by G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford) James

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by G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford) James

by G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford) James

by G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford) James

by G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford) James

by G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford) James

by G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford) James