The Unknown Ajax

A past dispute...
When the irascible Lord Darracott's eldest son dies unexpectedly, the noble family must accept their estranged Yorkshire cousin as heir apparent. They are convinced he will prove to be a sadly vulgar person, but nothing could have prepared the beleaguered family for the arrival of Major Hugo Darracott.

A present deception...
His clever and beautiful cousin Anthea is sure there's more to the gentle giant than Hugo's innocent blue eyes and broad Yorkshire brogue would lead one to believe. But even she doesn't guess what he's capable of, until a family crisis arises and only Hugo can preserve the family's honor, leading everybody on a merry chase in the process.

Original Publisher: Heinemann
Original Year of Publication: 1959 [2011 reprint]
Page Count: 307

As a character study, this novel is brilliant; as a romance, not so much. In fact, I think it would've improved the story if there had been no romance at all. It took awhile to get to the crisis mentioned in the back blurb, but once there, it was hilarious and magnificent!

⭐⭐⭐