It appeared that his father, Lord Ostermore, had prevailed upon Bentinck to use his influence with William on the errant youth's behalf.

Rotherby had been pardoned his loyalty to the fallen dynasty.

A deserter in every sense, he had abandoned the fortunes of King James--which in Everard's eyes was bad enough--and he had abandoned the sweet lady he had fetched out of Normandy six months before his going, of whom it seemed that in his lordly way he was grown tired.
From the beginning it would appear they were ill-matched.

It was her beauty had made appeal to him, even as his beauty had enamoured her.
Elementals had brought about their union; and when these elementals shrank with habit, as elementals will, they found themselves without a tie of sympathy or common interest to link them each to the other.

She was by nature blythe; a thing of sunshine, flowers and music, who craved a very poet for her lover; and by "a poet" I mean not your mere rhymer.
He was downright stolid and stupid under his fine exterior; the worst type of Briton, without the saving grace of a Briton's honor.