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Bridal Array
Jessica de Vrais was twenty-two, the only child of an elderly and irritable widower. Though they thought alike on almost all matters, they agreed on none; least of all did they see eye to eye on the subject of men. Jessica, pretty and popular, invited them to come and stay; Mr. de Vrais, irritable and suspicious, invited them to go away and stay away. Fortune-hunters all, he said furiously to his daughter. One and all, they were after her money—his money. One look, he shouted, and he could smell them a mile off. Hangers-on. Yahoos. Parasites.
When Jessica, at the end of June, announced that she was engaged to one of them—a young Frenchman named Hubert Ramage, whom she had known for little more than two weeks—Mr. de Vrais granted to the suitor a short interview and at the end of it announced that any further communication between the couple would be made over his dead body.
On a cool, September morning she rose rose early, left a conclusive little note for her father, carried her suitcases down to the car and drove into St. Helier to catch the boat to St. Malo. When her father read the note, it said, she would be married to Hubert. Unfortunately she took the family jewels with her, in case her marriage didn’t work out…
On a cool, September morning she rose rose early, left a conclusive little note for her father, carried her suitcases down to the car and drove into St. Helier to catch the boat to St. Malo. When her father read the note, it said, she would be married to Hubert. Unfortunately she took the family jewels with her, in case her marriage didn’t work out…
275 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1956
64 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Cadell
103 books118 followersViolet Elizabeth Vandyke was born on 10 November 1903 in Calcutta, British Raj, daughter of British parents, Elizabeth Lynch and Frederick Reginald Vandyke, a colonial officer. During the Great War she studied music in London, but refused a musical career and returned to India where she married in 1928 Henry Dunlop Raymond Mallock Cadell, and they had a son and daughter. After she was widowed ten years later, she returned to England.
Elizabeth wrote her first book 'My Dear Aunt Flora' during the Second World War in 1946, there after producing another 51 light-hearted, humourous and romantic books which won her a faithful readership in England and America. In addition to England and India, many of her books are set in Spain, France, and Portugal. She finally settled in Portugal, where her married daughter still lived.
She died on 9 October 1989, aged eighty-five.
Elizabeth wrote her first book 'My Dear Aunt Flora' during the Second World War in 1946, there after producing another 51 light-hearted, humourous and romantic books which won her a faithful readership in England and America. In addition to England and India, many of her books are set in Spain, France, and Portugal. She finally settled in Portugal, where her married daughter still lived.
She died on 9 October 1989, aged eighty-five.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 23, 2010
It was a lovely read. Sweet and simple. Most of the characters are introduced in the novel's first scene, at the dock during the workers strike. Two single men, Sebastian and Joss, whose plans were thwarted by the strike have a boy, Maurice, placed in their care for the moment until his guardian, Tante Francine arrived. They meet an old comtesse and take up her request to be her chauffeur in exchange for transportation out of the dock and lodgings for the duration of their vacation. Jessica, the daughter of a rich man, is also introduced at the dock on her way to elope with Hubert. The characters' paths cross with the mix-up of luggage, the breaking of engagements and the the discovery of kinship by Jessica between the comtesse and Hubert. Tante Francine is introduced later, collecting Maurice from the two men and sparks fly between the four, Francine, Sebastian, Joss and Jessica. After misjudgment of the heart's wants, proposals, betrayals, the novel ends with everyone getting their happy ending...or close to it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2020
Written in the mid fifties, Ms. Cadell presents a lighthearted set of holiday romances. Sebastian and Josh have been friends for years despite being almost opposites. Extroverted, Sebastian is rich and Introverted Josh works for a living. They meet once a year for a driving tour and this year it's France.
Due to an improbably but possible sequence of events, they end up driving a strange old woman who claims to be a countess and a small boy to a town they can't find on the map. Because they have accidentally taken (one of the heroine's suitcases, she follow. The other heroine shows up soon after.
Ms Cadel was clever at creating amusing situations where young (and once in a while older) people fall in love. Bridal Array is such tale and was a pleasant read for a lazy afternoon.
Due to an improbably but possible sequence of events, they end up driving a strange old woman who claims to be a countess and a small boy to a town they can't find on the map. Because they have accidentally taken (one of the heroine's suitcases, she follow. The other heroine shows up soon after.
Ms Cadel was clever at creating amusing situations where young (and once in a while older) people fall in love. Bridal Array is such tale and was a pleasant read for a lazy afternoon.
June 28, 2011
Sometimes I wish life was as romantic as books can be!
July 9, 2024
I enjoyed it but I am nonplussed by the random switchup in the end...
December 16, 2024
Bridal Array
I've read the book years ago. Written in the tradition of books one hundred years ago. I enjoyed this book a second time. It's sweet. It's uncomplicated.
I've read the book years ago. Written in the tradition of books one hundred years ago. I enjoyed this book a second time. It's sweet. It's uncomplicated.
November 23, 2023
A domineering father with a fortune and his pretty young daughter are continually at odds about her young men. "Fortune hunters all," growls her father. "Enough," shouts his daughter. Freedom is but a ferry ride away. She escapes only to discover that her father was right. Her "love's" aunt is even more miserly than her father. A strike of transportation workers brings four young people together. Will any of them leave together? And what about Hubert?
January 8, 2022
Readers get an interesting trip to 1930s (?) France with two good friends, Sebastien + Joss. They plan a zippy tour of the country in Sebastien's new roadster but find themselves stranded on the dock at St Malo by a workers' strike. No one's unloading the ship -- including their car -- and no trains running to take anyone anywhere.
A seedy-looking old lady approaches, a Countess with a crumbling chateau somewhere in the heart of France, that she must get to urgently. Quite used to ordering people around and getting her own way, she comes up with a solution to their dilemma by buying a decrepit old taxi and offers the two friends rooms at the chateau if they'll get her there.
The two men decide to go along with her as drivers, plus they must take Maurice, a young boy who's been placed in Joss's care while on-board the ship. Because of the strike his people aren't there to collect him at St Malo, so they'll take him at his grandfather and Tante Francine, who happen to live near the chateau. unknown to them Maurice has added someone else's suitcase to their baggage...
Thus begins quite the adventure for the two friends, a realistic story with the writer's blend of comedy and fantasy added to liven up the tale.
A seedy-looking old lady approaches, a Countess with a crumbling chateau somewhere in the heart of France, that she must get to urgently. Quite used to ordering people around and getting her own way, she comes up with a solution to their dilemma by buying a decrepit old taxi and offers the two friends rooms at the chateau if they'll get her there.
The two men decide to go along with her as drivers, plus they must take Maurice, a young boy who's been placed in Joss's care while on-board the ship. Because of the strike his people aren't there to collect him at St Malo, so they'll take him at his grandfather and Tante Francine, who happen to live near the chateau. unknown to them Maurice has added someone else's suitcase to their baggage...
Thus begins quite the adventure for the two friends, a realistic story with the writer's blend of comedy and fantasy added to liven up the tale.
unfinished
August 12, 2014I tried, but Cadell is simply not for me. All of the men sound so alike.
August 7, 2023
Loved this one! Vintage Cadell. Of course the story involves an improbable sequence of coincidences but putting that aside (as you really need to do if you are going to read Elizabeth Cadell!!!) this is one of her best lighthearted romances. Nice little twist to the tale towards the end that I honestly didn't see coming. And the final scene was perfect.
I am so glad these books were re-issued as otherwise I don't think I ever would have had a chance to read this title. I know I looked for it for years with no luck.
I am so glad these books were re-issued as otherwise I don't think I ever would have had a chance to read this title. I know I looked for it for years with no luck.
December 26, 2024
Despite no real plot, this gentle story is a wonderful read. I'd like to say there are lots of great characters, but most of them are only interesting in a minor way, it's the horrible old miser The Comtesse and the way others deal with her that is interesting. A charming setting: rural France in a time that could be any time in the decades post WWII.
September 1, 2023
Ihana kirja! Miksen oo kuullut tästä aikaisemmin..
September 20, 2025
Not one of Cadell's best.
July 24, 2023
Joss and Sebastian are looking forward to an enjoyable motoring holiday in France, but when they get off the ferry they unexpectedly find themselves stuck with a little French boy and an imperious old French lady. And their holiday turns out very different from what they had expected. Jessica, who has arrived in France expecting to be married, finds herself in pursuit of Joss and Sebastian when they accidentally go off with her suitcase. And it all gets more complicated from then on. This is a very funny story with some delightful characters and some light romance and a lot of antique furniture.
April 12, 2017
Delightfully frothy romance
What happens when you mix two lovely young women with two handsome young men? And then, since it's Cadell, you add in a whacky old countless, a precocious young boy, a weak-willed young Frenchman, and a handful of other equally humorous characters. The result is pure delight, lots of laughter, a couple of cute plot twists, and a hilarious closing scene. The more I read Cadell, the more I like her!
What happens when you mix two lovely young women with two handsome young men? And then, since it's Cadell, you add in a whacky old countless, a precocious young boy, a weak-willed young Frenchman, and a handful of other equally humorous characters. The result is pure delight, lots of laughter, a couple of cute plot twists, and a hilarious closing scene. The more I read Cadell, the more I like her!
April 23, 2017
A lovely story...
This is one of my favorite novels by Elizabeth Cadell. There are a number of interesting characters, a beautiful setting, and a few twists and turns.
This is one of my favorite novels by Elizabeth Cadell. There are a number of interesting characters, a beautiful setting, and a few twists and turns.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews