And Five Were Foolish

When Sarah Vulliamy discovers that her engagement to the enigmatic Virgil Pardoner comes with a peculiar condition, she finds herself trapped in a most uncomfortable position: the eccentric will of a departed relative demands they marry before she can claim her inheritance. What begins as a straightforward romantic complication swiftly transforms into a dazzling display of social maneuvering, as the couple navigates a world where love, pride, and a substantial fortune collide with disastrous and hilarious consequences. Yates deploys his considerable wit to skewer the absurdities of Edwardian society, where marriages are transactions and happiness hangs in the balance of legal technicalities. The novel operates as both a sharp romantic comedy and a sly commentary on how wealth and social expectation can distort genuine human connection. Its enduring appeal lies in Yates's sparkling prose and his ability to find genuine tenderness buried beneath layers of social absurdity.