Lord John and the Private Matter

Lord John and the Private Matter (2003) Diana Gabaldon

I’m in another mood where I don’t know what I want to read, so I instead chose to re-read something I enjoyed.

This time it was Lord John and the Private Matter.

Lord John Gray is a Major in the British Army. Additionally, as next oldest, while his brother is out of the country, he is also the head of the family, so when he discovers the man his cousin is supposed to marry in a few weeks has the pox, it is incumbent upon him to do something.

On top of that, since his brother is head of his Army unit, dealing with the murder of a Sergeant also falls to Lord John while his brother is gone. And this death turns out to be more complicated than one would think at first glance.

One of the things I noted the first time I read this, was how surprise I was at the language of the underground gay community of historical London–how recognizable much of the language is to modern eyes. The molly houses were fascinating, especially in comparison to the “normal” brothels of the time.

I again found this story fascinating, but I also found bits that I’d sped through on my initial read to be highly amusing.

Take this bit about the cat at the whore house who bit Lord John.

He stuck his injured finger in the glass of porter and frowned at the can, now wallowing on its back among the thumbscrews, inviting the unwary to rub its furry belly.

I don’t have the thumbscrews, but I have that cat.

And then there is this bit, regarding the late Sergeant O’Connell:

He was inclined toward the simplicity of a Solomonic decree that would award half of Tim O’Connell to each woman, and rejected this notion only because of the time it would take and the fact that his rapier was completely unsuited to such division.

So, I may have actually have enjoyed this more the second time through, than I did the first.
Rating: 8/10

Published by Delacorte Press

 
 

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