"Fun Victorian Tomboy's Tour of India"

Pauline Carrington is the third sister in the Carrington family to be sent off to find a suitable marriage partner by her wealthy family. Her sister's Lily (DANGEROUS FANCY) and Hannah (FLIGHT OF FANCY) have both made happy matches, but Pauline is a tomboy totally uninterested in men and has a tongue that can filet a fortune hunter or fop on the dance floor. After having nearly gotten her family ostracized in New York for insulting a Rockefeller heir, Pauline is sent to visit her sister Lily in India. Pauline is excited and hoping for adventure, but quickly finds that the social whirl of the British in India is as confining as it was in New York and London. She also discovers that Lily. happy in her marriage. wants to abet their Mother in marrying Pauline off.

As the British move from Delhi to a cooler summer area, Pauline sees a commotion and is completely fascinated by the native's cries of "White Tiger". A parade enters the square bearing a yellow tiger and she is confused until a tall, muscular white man enters and she realizes that HE is the 'white tiger'. She is completely dazzled by him, as he appears to live the life of adventure that Pauline is craving.

Nate Savidge is an Englishman who has spent his life in India and has no interest in the shallow social life of the British gentry. He resents mightily being asked to take visiting dignitaries on 'tiger hunts' where the game is flushed and slaughtered in vast numbers. He has also been burned by love before and wants no part of love or marriage. He earns his living killing man-eating tigers for the bounty paid by various Indian Princes.

After insulting the Viceroy's wife, Pauline realizes once again that she does not fit in and decides to escape the confines of society for the adventure she craves. Pauline disguises herself as a Punjabi porter and tries to get hired by Nate. Nate recognizes her immediately and alerts her sister. Lily realizes how badly Pauline wants an adventure and offers Nate 2000 pounds to take Pauline with him. Nate needs the money and agrees to let Pauline accompany him in her disguise. Nate doesn't let Pauline know he is on to her and uses her as his personal servant. Pauline is much tougher and determined then Nate had thought and he is impressed with her grit, if not her common sense.

Cozzens has created two fun characters who are well matched. I have always enjoyed storylines with girls who disguise themselves as men, but sometimes their getting away with the disguise stretches believability a bit too far. I loved the fact that Nate recognized Pauline immediately, as did her sister Lily, it made the plot much more enjoyable to have all of the characters depicted as intelligent people who would know each other on sight. The adventure that Pauline and Nate have is both fun and interesting. They are a well matched pair, even if it takes them a while to realize it.

Cozzens series about the Carrington girls, beginning with FLIGHT OF FANCY has been very enjoyable and I look forward to reading the marital adventures of the remaining two sisters. Cozzens descriptions of India are wonderful, one gets a real sense of the color, heat and people of that still mysterious land.

Reviewed by Linda Hurst
Posted January 10, 2003

Summary

The eldest of her mother's three remaining unmarried daughters, Pauline Carrington is dismayed to find herself the object of endless matchmaking schemes. A natural athlete with a zest for anything new or exciting, marriage is the last thing she wants -- she craves adventure, and she's sure to find it while visiting her sister Lily in exotic India. Sure enough, she discovers handsome and daring Nathaniel Savidge is planning a dangerous tiger hunt -- but refuses to consider taking her with him...

Nate is too serious about the coming hunt to let a pretty, pampered heiress distract him. But when Pauline disguises herself as a Punjabi to join the retinue, he decides to teach her a lesson she won't soon forget -- and give her a taste of just what life in the wild is all about. Pretending that he hasn't seen through her disguise will be troublesome, though, especially when he realizes that the savvy young adventuress has captured his heart and soul...