How many books are there in the world which feature both twins and the opening of a tearoom? I mean, the number of books about the opening of tearooms has to be pretty minute and to then throw twins in as well? And yet, after reading The Fair Miss Fortune by D.E. Stevenson, I have now read two such books (see Christopher and Columbus by Elizabeth von Arnim) so who is to say that there aren’t more out there? (I rather hope there are.)
Published by Greyladies in 2011, The Fair Miss Fortune was written in the 1930s but was considered ‘“too old-fashioned” to appeal to the “modern” market’. It is certainly old fashioned, though hardly more so than Stevenson’s other books, and while far from her best work, it is a fun little story.
When Captain Charles Weatherby returns home to the small English village of Dingleford to visit his mother, he has no idea how his life is about to change. He is happy to be back with his beloved mother but less happy when she, an invalid, encourages him to go out and socialise with their neighbours. They are all eager to see him after his years in India and the housebound Mrs. Weatherby is eager for Charles to report back on all the latest gossip. Though a grown up man in his late twenties, Charles is rather scared of the party his mother is urging him to attend, telling him how nice it will be:
Charles was quite sure that it would not be nice, for he was shy with the shyness which besets the exile when he returns to his native place. He had been abroad for three years – no more – but he was convinced that these people would not want him; that they would have forgotten him; that they would find him awkward and gauche, his clothes old-fashioned and shabby, his manners strange. He felt that it would have been easier to meet these people one by one, casually, in the village, or on the golf course; he felt that to plunge right into the whole crowd jabbering together in an over-heated room was going to take the kind of courage he did not possess.
And the party is rather ghastly for Charles, save for two things: he is reunited with his childhood friend Harold Prestcott and he learns about Dingleford’s newest resident: Miss Jane Fortune. Miss Fortune, a pretty young lady of nineteen, has arrived with her nanny in tow to open up a tearoom in the village. Before too long, Charles – a man of action – has made friends with Miss Fortune and is well on the way to being in love with her. And the lady seems to be feeling much the same, until she is suddenly cutting him in the street, acting coldly towards him when they do meet, and generally not behaving at all like the adorable Jane.
Of course, she is not behaving as herself because she is not herself. Jane’s identical twin sister Joan arrives in Dingleford fleeing the attentions of a sinister Frenchman. Hoping to avoid discovery by said Frenchman, she decides not to announce her presence and so, with Jane’s half-hearted approval, Joan masquerades as her sister. The two girls make certain that they are never out and about at the same time but their very different characters and very different romantic inclinations make rather a mess for both Charles and Harold, who have both fallen in love with Miss Fortune – thankfully, each with a different Miss, though they have no idea. Of course, all ends well, though I have serious doubts that the tea room will ever be opened.
It is a short, undemanding little book and, to be honest, I can understand why it was not published earlier. It is far from Stevenson at her best. But, that I said, I am happy Greyladies printed it and that I had the chance to read it. I sped through it before bed on Sunday night and it was the perfect thing to end my weekend with.
The Captive Reader 
Well, I was sold by the first line, of course… even if it isn’t DES at her best (and she is so variable, isn’t she?) twins and tearooms win me over. I have only read one other novel about opening a tearoom (besides C & C) – Mary Essex’s Tea Is So Intoxicating. Sadly no twins…
I thought the premise alone would have you intrigued!
Clearly it’s an entire genre — Ada Cambridge’s _A Humble Enterprise_ is also about people opening a tearoom! Who could have imagined?
Who knew!
It is fluffy and fun, indeed. But I centainly feel it’s not in a league with the rest of her work. Greyladies has published a number of DES’s earlier manuscripts that never before reached the press, and I think this is the best of them. The others are from her more earnest, serious period before she found her voice, and are rather sober affairs.
That’s pretty much what I had gathered based on other people’s reviews. I’m glad I tried it but I won’t be seeking out the other DES titles Greyladies has published.
Can’t think! But do remember reading two books in two days that contained boat- shaped cakes…
Well that is delightfully odd.
I’d love to read books about tearooms if someone would be kind enough to give me some titles. I’ll start with this. I just finished Miss Buncle’s Book which was my introduction to Stevenson. I’m very grateful to these publishers for bringing back these forgotten works.
I haven’t got any recommendations for tearoom-centrlc books beyond what others have mentioned about. It is certainly an interesting niche.
I wonder if tearooms pop up in vintage books because it was, perhaps, what impoverished gentlewomen had to turn to when society and their male relatives let them down. It was something they knew they could do, and it dripped with gentility.
I recall in The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club, Sheila Fentiman tried to run a tearoom when her severely shell-shocked husband George couldn’t get work. It failed. (Sorry, Cynthia, not exactly a book about tearooms :^))
I must say, all of the fictional characters who have tried to open tearooms have been singularly ill-prepared for the task. But that’s where much of the fun lies.
I am currently reading Miss Buncle’s Book. It’s my first foray into DES and I now want to read everything she has ever written. She was a wonderful and witty writer and I wish I was introduced to much earlier.
Sorry I was typing too fast. I meant “I wish I was introduced to her much earlier.” But that’s ok, because I have plenty of time to catch up. Happy Holidays to you.
Have fun catching up!
[…] The Fair Miss Fortune by D.E. Stevenson – already read and reviewed […]
I just wrote about D.E. Stevenson on my book blog and the joy I have that another of hers is being republished in July of 2014: http://countrygirlsread.wordpress.com/
She is a favorite author of mine! have not yet read “The Fair Miss Fortune”.
Always happy to hear from another DES fan! Did you see that Sourcebooks will be reprinting Listening Valley, too? Very exciting.
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