Under False Pretences: A Novel

Set against the sun‑warmed slopes of the western Apennines, an English gentleman named Edward Luttrell has taken refuge in a white‑walled villa with its green shutters, hoping the cool breezes will aid his ailing wife’s recovery. He is a broad‑shouldered, generous man, quick with words and affection, while his Scotch heiress wife moves through the house with a colder, more temperamental grace. Their five‑year‑old son, a lively little mirror of his father, adds a bright note to the otherwise delicate domestic balance.

Soon after settling in, the couple welcomes a second child, Brian, whose fragile arrival is quickly followed by a baptism that seems to promise health and happiness. Mrs. Luttrell, revived by the Italian air, declares she will nurse the baby herself, and Edward revels in his newfound security, chatting with village folk and the resident Benedictine monks. Yet beneath the tranquil scenery, subtle tensions linger, hinting that the peace of the hills may soon be tested.