In the coronation summer of 1838, seventeen-year-old Fanny Harcourt goes to London to stay with her close friend Emily Dacre for the festivities. The young Victoria, scarcely older than Fanny herself, is to assume the throne of England.

Enjoying the pomp and pageantry, the swelling crowds of commoners and snobs, Fanny soon catches the eye of a handsome novelist. Infatuations, matchmaking hazards, and romantic misunderstandings enhance the carnival atmosphere as the two girls explore the city. But it will take a real disaster to sort out the merely spectacular from the truly honorable.

Angela Thirkell (1890-1961) granddaughter of Sir Edward Burne-Jones, was born in London. At age twenty-eight, she moved to Melbourne, Australia, where she became involved in broadcasting and was a frequent contributor to British periodicals. She began writing novels after her return to Britain in 1930 and from then on produced a new book almost every year. Her stylish prose and deft portrayal of the human comedy in the imaginary county of Barsetshire have amused readers for decades.