The Talisman Ring

1 "ventre á terre": Nearly all the characters, but initially Eustacie de Vauban

4 What other novel [besides Friday's Child] uses the phrase "to be nibbled to death by ducks?": Mr Bundy says of the disastrous attempt to break into the Beau's house to search for the ring: "As good be nibbled to death by ducks as set out on one of Master Ludovic's ventures!"

46 Y: "Do you know that you are marrying a ne'er-do-well?" X: "Certainly I know it..It is just what I always wanted": X = Eustacie de Vauban and Y = Ludovic Lavenham

68 What two persons in what GH novels are awakened by moonlight streaming into their bedchambers? What do they discover after thus being awakened?

Sir Hugh Thane: The moon had reached a point in the heavens from which its rays were able to find out a chink between the blinds over Sir Hugh's window. A sliver of silver light stole across his face. Its baleful influence was instantly felt. Sir Hugh awoke.

He knew at once what had aroused him, and with a muttered curse, got up out of the bed and stalked over to the window. A tug at the blind failed to put matters right, and Sir Hugh, blinking with sleep, perceived that a fold of the chintz had been caught in the hinge when the casement was shut. "Damned carelessness!" he said severely, and opened the window to release the blind.

There was a smart wind blowing; a sudden gust tore the casement out of his slack hold, and flung it wide. He leaned out to pull it in again, and as he did so noticed that one of the windows in the coffee-room directly beneath his bedchamber was also standing wide.

See also Lady of Quality (Ninian Elmore)

75 Three women were mistaken for abigails/maids: which books, who were they, and under what circumstances?

Sarah Thane to hoodwink the Bow Street Runners in The Talisman Ring: The runners had by this time begun to pick themselves up. Mr Stubbs, cherishing his nose, seemed a little dazed, but Mr Peabody advanced heroically, and said: "I arrest you, Ludovic Lavenham, in the name of the Law, and it will go hard with them as seeks to interfere!" Sir Tristram released Miss Thane's hands, which he had been holding in a sustaining manner, and replied: "You fool, this is not Ludovic Lavenham! This is a lady!"

Mr Stubbs said thickly: "It's the abigail. It ain't no female."

See also Devil's Cub (Mary Challoner escaping from Dominic)
See also Faro's Daughter (Phoebe for whom Deborah is playing chaperon)

130 "X cast one glance at Y's wooden countenance, and said : 'You were certainly born to be hanged.'": X = Sarah Thane and Y = Nye, the inn-keeper

145 "How cross you are!" marvelled X. "I suppose when one reaches middle age it is difficult to sympathize with the follies of youth.": Sarah Thane (X) is talking to Sir Tristan Shield

172 "I think we should throw water over her, cousin. Cold water.": Sir Tristram Shield is speaking to his cousin Eustacie about Miss Sarah Thane after she has pretended to faint

228 "I see what it is. You've been flirting again!": Sir Hugh talking to his sister, Sarah Thane, when she says that she has had a night-time rendezvous with Sir Tristram Shield

250 Who is Mr. Peabody?: A Bow Street Runner

257 "I am fast coming to that conclusion myself," he said. "Moreover, Miss ____ , What is your name?": Sir Tristram Shield speaking to Miss Sarah Thane

270 "It seems to me," said X, "That girls merely waste their time at school.": Ludovic Lavenham is opining Miss Sarah Thane's lack of drawing ability

271 Can you name six characters, and the books they appear in, that end up dressing up as a member of the opposite sex. Adults only please - no toddlers in skirts!: Ludovic Lavenham, a maid
See also The Corinthian (Penelope Creed, a boy)
See also An Infamous Army (Lady Barbara Childe, in breeches)
See also The Masqueraders (Prudence Tremaine, a man and Robin Tremaine, a woman)
See also These Old Shades (Léonie de Saint-Vire, a pageboy)
See also Simon the Coldheart (Lady Margaret, a man)

274 Name nine pivotal characters that get injured through a shooting during the course of the book but survive.: Ludovic Lavenham
See also The Black Moth (Jack Carstares)
See also Devil's Cub (Dominic Alastair)
See also The Grand Sophy (Lord Charlbury )
See also Pistols for Two: The Duel (Lord Rotherfield)
See also The Quiet Gentleman (Gervase Frant)
See also Regency Buck (Charles Audley)
See also The Reluctant Widow (Nicky Carlyon)
See also The Spanish Bride (Harry Smith)
See also Sprig Muslin (Sir Gareth Ludlow)
See also These Old Shades (Rupert Alastair)
See also The Unknown Ajax (Richmond Darracott)

297 What link is there between a secondary character from The Talisman Ring and one from The Unknown Ajax. There is one link with several parts. Name the characters and the link.: In The Talisman Ring, Ludovic is shot by law officers whilst smuggling goods, and in The Unknown Ajax, Richmond is shot by law officers whilst smuggling goods. In both cases, dissembling puts the officers off the scent and the perpetrators go free. In addition, both were shot in the same shoulder.
See also The Unknown Ajax

310 "Well, if he expected to find you amongst my clothing I can only say that he must have a very indelicate idea of me" said X.: Sarah Thane (X) speaking to Ludovic Lavenham

323 Name four English country estates from GH's Georgian period novels that change hands (through sale or inheritance) in the course of the novel, the novels they appear in, and the names of the old and new owners.: Lavenham Court, from Sylvester to Ludovic
See also Black Sheep (Danescourt, from Stacy Calverleigh to Miles Calverleigh)
See also The Grand Sophy (villa at Merton, to Sir Horace)
See also The Masqueraders (Barham Court, from Mr Rensley to Lord Barham)
See also Powder and Patch (Jettan's Pride, from Sir Thomas Jettan to Sir Maurice Jettan)
See also The Reluctant Widow (High Noons, from Eustace Cheviot to Eleanor Cheviot)
See also The Toll-Gate (Kellands, from Sir Peter Stornaway to Sir Henry Stornaway)

328 Name as many novels as you can in which houses are broken into in the course of the action. The common law definition of breaking and entering involves entering at night with felonious intent, but I am willing to waive both those requirements. I do, however, require that the break-in involve someone entering a house stealthily, and in an unconventional manner. Forcing one's way in past the servants does not count. Nor does breaking into an office or a hotel. I mean someone's residence. Each novel counts only as one answer, even if there's more than one break-in.: Ludovic breaks into the Beau's house
See also Beauvallet (Beauvallet breaks into Dona Beatrice's country house and ties her up)
See also The Black Moth (Jack breaks into Andover's house to rescue Diana)
See also The Convenient Marriage (Pelham and Drelincourt walk in through R-Robert's open door)
See also Cotillion (Kitty sneaks into her uncle's house after meeting Freddy)
See also False Colours (Kit breaks into his brother's house through a window)
See also Pistols for Two (Dorothea Saltwood walks into Lord Rotherfield's house through the open door)
See also The Quiet Gentleman (Theo and Martin break into Gervase's room from outside through the secret entrance)
See also Regency Buck (Worth breaks into Bernard's house to rescue Judith)
See also The Reluctant Widow (Who doesn't break into Eleanor's house?)
See also The Toll-Gate (John Staple breaks into Kellands to "talk" to Nell's cousin)
See also The Unknown Ajax (Richmond and others break into the Dower House)
See also A Blunt Instrument (lots of people break into Ernest Fletcher's house)
See also Death in the Stocks (Antonia breaks into her brother's cottage through a window)
See also Footsteps in the Dark (Colonel Ackerly and Michael Strange break into the Priory, and Michael breaks into Colonel Ackerly's house)
See also The Unfinished Clue (Mrs. Chudleigh breaks into Mr. Billington-Smith's house through the front windows)
See also Why Shoot A Butler ? (Basil Fountain breaks into Shirley's house)

329 Name two offensive hats, their wearers, the books they appear in, and the people offended by them.: Eustacie is offended by Basil's sugarloaf hat
See also The Convenient Marriage (Pelham is offended by Crosby Drelincourt's hat)
See also Cotillion (Freddy is offended by Kitty's hat)
See also Faro's Daughter (Lord Mablethorpe is bemused, Ravenscar confused, and Lady Mablethorpe and Lady Bellingham offended by the hat (with the plumes that hardly fit in the carriage) that Deb Grantham wears to Vauxhall)
See also The Foundling (Gilly is offended [suggests she need not wear them] by the awful hats Harriet orders from the milliner)
See also Friday's Child (Sherry is offended by the shocking hat with the purple feathers that Hero wants to buy)
See also The Grand Sophy (Lord Charlbury is offended by Cecilia's hat)
See also Pistols for Two: Bath Miss (Sir Charles is offended by the rather too dashing hat Miss Anne Massingham purchases)

Challenge Competition