A Christmas Proposal by Karen Hall-a review

A Christmas Proposal by Karen Hall is a short story, all of 28 pages, set in the late Victorian England.

The herione is Cassandra Barnwell, weathy and not without wit. She was a suffragette and did not rank high on the “hotness” scale. She was, of course, also unwed. The hero is Brandon Russell, the younger brother of a duke and the next in line to the dukedom. He was also an archaeologist and spent most of his time “playing in the world’s biggest sandbox” in Egypt.

The beginning of the story sets the background for both Cassandra and Brandon. Cassandra had just turned down yet another marriage proposal from an eligible bachelor. She wanted to marry for love and the eligible bachelors loved her money. Brandon was back in old blighty because he was out of funds for his expedition, and to attend his sister’s wedding. Upon his arrival, he learned that his great benefactor was going to marry a showgirl, who did not want the said great benefactor to donate to Brandon’s expedition anymore. Brandon’s father left him an inheritance but he could not touch the funds until he turned thirty-two or got hitched. Brandon could not approach his duke brother as the duke wanted him to stay in London to take his rightful place.

Anyway, a story like that requires a meddling relative. This comes in the form of Cassandra’s great aunt Tilda, who was always throwing eligible bachelors in Cassandra’s way. Aunt Tilda wanted Cassandra engaged by Christmas because it would be so romantic. After a chance meeting at the British Museum, Cassandra came up with the idea of getting Brandon to pretend to court her to get auntie off her back. In return, she would fund Brandon’s expedition. Cassandra was also going to take part in a suffragett demonstration and Brandon was to ditch her because taking part in a demonstration was unseemly. That way Brandon did not really have to marry her. However, they fell secretly in love with each other in the pretend courtship.

Along with meddling relative, a story like that would need a big misunderstanding. This comes in the form of Brandon’s stupid ‘friends’. They made a bet, when Brandon first arrived in England, that Brandon would be proposing to Cassandra for her money. Incidentally, many of these friends happened to be the eligible bachelors Cassandra had turned down. Anyway, just as Brandon was about to declare himself to Casssandra (having found out that his duke brother had managed to produce a couple of male heirs and now the duke was in a good mood and willing to fund Brandon’s expedition), his ‘friends’ made the bet known to Cassandra. Cassandra was not pleased with that and left before Brandon could explain.

Then the suffragett demonstration took place and there was some suggestion that chaos had ensued. A concerned Brandon went looking for Cassandra and found her to be well, having just ‘rescued’ a little boy who was separated from his mother. Brandon made his explanation and all was forgiven. And they lived happily forever after playing in the world’s biggest sandbox!

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Reviewed by 3 Dots…