Nicola and the Viscount

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Nicola and the Viscount is a 2002 novel by Meg Cabot.

The story takes place in London, 1808. Nicola is a 16 year old orphan who starts her first London Season. Most girls are kept in their homes until they are pushed into society, almost abruptly, so they can seek out wealthy suitors and get married to them. Nicola is one such girl. However, she is rather special.

Nicola's parents drowned in a river after a sudden storm. They left her Beckwell Abbey, which gives her an income of 100 pounds a year. Nicola attended Madame Vieuxvincent's school, which taught her how to bait men into courting her, among other things. Her best friend, whom she met at Madame's, is Eleanor Sheridan. She used to stay with them, but at the beginning of the story she leaves their home.

Nicky, as Eleanor and all of her friends call her, stays with the wealthy Bartholomews, consisting of Lord and Lady Farelly, Honoria Bartholomew (who is described and not very pretty, but athletic and rather horse-faced) and the God, Sebastian Bartholomew, also known as the viscount Farnsworth. Nicky soon finds herself blissfully in love and he seems to be returning her affection.

However, Nathaniel Sheridan (also known as Nat), Eleanor's older brother, is saying bad things about her love, Sebastian. Nicky thinks that he is rather stuck-up simply because he got a first in mathematics at Oxford, and Nicky finds this irritating to no end and finally decides to dig into the puzzle herself and prove Nat wrong.

To her surprise, Nat was right all along. Lord Sebastian was only marrying her for Beckwell Abbey. Her guardian and cousin, Norbert Blenkenship (christened "The Grouser"), wanted to sell it to Mr. Edward Pease, a manager of the Stockton and Darlington coal company. Their company wanted a more efficient way of transportation and decided to make a railroad to solve the problem. Beckwell Abbey just happens to be smack-dab in the middle of a route they had in mind, which is why the offer came up so suddenly. When Nicky finds out, she promptly ends her engagement to Lord Sebastian and goes to stay with the Sheridans.

Nicky finds herself increasingly uncomfortable in Nat's presence and begins to wonder about whether or not he thinks of her as a friend or maybe something more. Nat doesn't tease her or get annoyed at her love for poetry as much as before, and she suddenly finds herself thinking that he is strikingly handsome -- maybe just as handsome as Lord Sebastian.

Later in the week, at Almack's, a social spot where everyone gathers every week, Nicky is surprised to see Harold Blenkenship, the Grouser's son and christened the Milksop due to his cowardice, asking to speak to her privately, saying it's an important matter. He tells her that Lord Farelly and the Grouser are planning to scare her into selling Beckwell Abbey, and he advises her to do something, anything, to avoid danger.

Nicky ignores the warnings, and when she is sent a note supposedly from Sir Hugh, Eleanor's fiancee, asking her to meet him so she could help him choose a gift for Eleanor, she goes. She enters the cab, but the cab driver doesn't take her to where she wanted to go, and Nicky realizes she is being kidnapped -- but it is too late.

Nicky is shoved into a house where she is greeted by Lord Farelly, the Grouser, the Milksop, and Lord Sebastian. There's also the burly cab driver, Grant, hired by Lord Farelly to guard the door. Nicky refuses to sell the Abbey once again. Lord Farelly loses his patience with her and they lock her up in a small room. The Milksop goes to see her and tells her about their plan. They plotted to marry her to Lord Sebastian and then he would sell Beckwell Abbey instead. Nicky orders the Milksop to overcome his fear for once and try to do the right thing, which he does.

Lord Sebastian comes up into the room and tells Nicky what she should do, as his wife, once the nupitals are said. She plays the part of a sweet, naive fiancee, and he seems happy that she is obeying his wishes. But when Lord Sebastian asks Nicky to pour him some ale, she takes the pitcher and smashes it on his head, thus knocking him out. She then proceeds to climb out the window.

Lord Farelly and the Grouser soon find her escaping and send Grant after her. Grant slips and grabs her dress and she tumbles off the roof, almost ready to die.

Surprisingly, she lands in the arms of none other than Nathaniel Sheridan.

Nat takes her home when she tells him that she's not in love with Sebastian anymore. He inquires about who she loves now, after she tells him she loves someone else. They stop in the middle of a crowded street and Nicola tells him, that for someone who went to Oxford, his powers of deduction aren't very good. Nathaniel figures out what she means and kisses her.

The story ends with Nicky going to Beckwell Abbey to visit Nana and Puddy, her childhood "grandparents". Nana and Puddy approve of her choice, and she will end up a viscountess in the end. Nat comes up and tells her and Eleanor to come swim with him and Sir Hugh, and Nicky is happy she's really in love with someone that returns her ardour.They marry and live happily ever after.