Richard Carvel

Richard Carvel is drawn ever deeper into a glittering world where love, money, and honor collide. Rebuffed by Dorothy and haunted by Jack Comyn's insistence that her illness hides deeper feeling, he seeks distraction in Newmarket gambling and London society, only to find his debts, guilt, and longing growing sharper. When the Duke of Chartersea unexpectedly turns civil, Richard is pulled into a web of cards, supper invitations, and marriage schemes that mask mercenary motives beneath polished wit. Amid scandalous gossip, Fox's brilliance, and the satire of aristocratic decadence, a reckless wager is made: Richard must ride Baltimore's Pollux, a savage horse notorious for injuring men. What follows is a public trial of nerve and self-command. Warned by horsemen and supported by Astley's practical confidence, Richard takes the stallion through the streets toward Kensington and Hyde Park, nearly losing control before discovering the method that subdues him. He returns in triumph to cheers from gamblers and horsemen alike, while his thoughts remain fixed on Dorothy, whose suffering and his quiet devotion give the novel its tender, uncertain heart. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.