The Merry Heart

: They should have noticed her red hair .... How can an independent young lady, who is accustomed to the freedom of the middle class, bend to the will of 1812 Society? After growing up in an orphanage as Louise Tracy, Louise resides in London with her best friend, Rebecca Black, and their companion, Mrs. Amelia Peters. An accomplished pianist, Louise earns money teaching piano to merchants' daughters and enjoys life within the middle class, with no concern for the upper-class restrictions. Then, much to her dismay, she learns she is a member of the upper class: Louise Mansfield, the granddaughter of the Marquis of Granville who proudly states his ancestors welcomed William of Normandy to England in 1066. What happens when an independent young lady falls in love with a man who does not meet the approval of her grandparents? Major George Stafford is eligible in the eyes of everyone except the family-proud Granvilles. Louise knows he is the man for her. He is handsome, manly, a war hero, and possessor of a reasonable fortune. More importantly, they laugh at the same things. Music has always been a large part of Louise's life. She views her life as either in major key-the good times or in minor key-the not-so-good times. Whether in the confines of Mansfield Park in Somerset or learning Society's rules in London, Louise lives her life on her own terms.