** spoiler alert ** The Duke of Omnium (Plantagenet Palliser) is reluctantly persuaded to lead a coalition government. The Duchess (Lady Glencora), however, is pleased and proud of her husband’s accession to power and vows to solidify his position by social means. She embarks on a campaign of grand entertainment at Gatherum Castle. I love both these characters in spite of their faults and enjoyed the opportunity to see them up close again. The years have passed by and over time they have forged a successful, loving, and supportive relationship, overcoming their differences and an arranged marriage. The other main plot concerns the loathsome Ferdinand Lopez, a money-hungry scoundrel who falls in love with Emily Wharton, the daughter of a wealthy lawyer. Lopez comes into the sphere of the Duke and Duchess, causing conflict between them. Phineas Finn and Marie Goesler as well as many other supporting characters are seen again in these pages. This is Trollope at his best, and perhaps my favourite in the Palliser series.