About this book
What does honour demand when love enters a world where a single scandal can ruin a name?
In His Grace of Osmonde, Frances Hodgson Burnett brings you into an earlier England of great houses, fine clothes and careful manners. At its centre stands the Duke of Osmonde, a man whose wealth and rank matter less than his principles. Around him, reputation carries weight, and love lives under society’s watchful eye.
Then there is Clorinda Wildairs: beautiful, spirited and used to having her own way. A companion to A Lady of Quality, this romance views the same events through the Duke’s eyes. His character shapes the tale, while strict codes of honour frame a world in which a woman’s reputation and a man’s good name remain painfully fragile.
What you’ll discover
- A nobleman of principle Meet a Duke defined not simply by rank, but by the honour he holds dear.
- Clorinda’s force of will Encounter a beautiful, spirited woman accustomed to having her own way.
- Society’s watchful eye Enter great houses where careful etiquette offers no protection from the threat of scandal.
- Another side of events See the story shared with A Lady of Quality from the Duke’s point of view.
- Richly formal storytelling Settle into ornate prose and a narrator who pauses to consider people and their motives.
Who will love it
Readers who love sweeping historical romance, courtly manners and Stuart London gossip will enjoy this book. It rewards those drawn to honor, restraint and steadfast devotion.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Bells ring for a duke's heir
- A story of cruelty stays with a boy
- Strength and self-command at Oxford and Court
- A girl in scarlet leaps a gate
- A girl on the road shows what Oxon does
- Loss, a wild girl who changes, and a ball
- A night of fury and a calm face
- Justice and mercy for those left alone
- Love as a meeting of equals
- Fate, bells, roses and a long gallery
Who’s who
- Gerald Mertoun, Duke of OsmondeA tall, learned and honorable nobleman who waits years for a woman who can be his equal, and who guards his feelings with iron self-command.
- Clorinda WildairsA fearless, black-eyed beauty raised among rough hunters, who chooses to remake herself and carries a hidden burden of shame.
- Lord DunstanwoldeA gentle, widowed Earl who loves Gerald like a son and finds a late, joyful hope in a young woman.
- Sir John OxonA beautiful, ruined rake who treats women as prey and wants Clorinda to prove his power.
- Mistress Anne WildairsClorinda's timid sister, the first person to show her what love means, and her faithful companion.
- Mistress Rebecca HalsellGerald's grave, loving nurse, who teaches him that a king must think of his people.
- Sir Christopher CrowellA jovial Gloucestershire squire who has known Clorinda since she was small and cheers for her at every turn.
- Duke of MarlboroughThe brilliant soldier who admires Gerald's self-command and sees more of his heart than most.
Formats and delivery
- eBook
- On your phone, tablet or computer, once the book texts are online.
- Large-print eBook
- The same book in bigger, clearer type, once the book texts are online.
- Audiobook
- Read by Lucas Linden, complete. It opens once the recording is online.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 14 minutes, to read today.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
Every printed copy is made when you order it and shipped worldwide; shipping is shown at checkout. The eBook and the audiobook open when the book texts go online.
How it works
- Start free. Nothing to pay today; the eBook of this book is yours to keep.
- Read, listen and print. 200,000+ classics as eBook, large-print eBook, audiobook and 15-minute summary, and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print, 5 accounts for the price of one.
- We remind you first. Free for 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment. Then 0,14 USD a day in your first year on the yearly plan and 0,27 USD a day after, or 0,66 USD a day on the monthly plan. Cancel online in two clicks.
Bought on its own? Every eBook, audiobook and printed book you buy without the plan carries our 30-day money-back guarantee.
Seine Gnaden von Osmonde
by Frances Hodgson Burnett · 1896
A duke's son watches a wild girl in breeches clear a five-bar gate, and a long, costly love begins.
Medium level10–20 hours to readDeutsch
Excellent
Free for 3 months · starts right away, on any device
Read free3 months free · cancel anytimeFree for 3 months, then 0,14 USD a dayCancel anytimeHow it works
- Read or listen
- Print and large print at cost
- 5 accounts for the price of one
In short
It is the fifth day of April, 1676, and church bells ring in five villages because a duke has an heir. Years later in another county, a newborn girl lies beneath her dead mother, unwanted by a father who would rather ride to the hunt.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
Bells ring for a duke's heir
The story opens at Camylott, a village in the shadow of a great house called the Tower. The villagers drink ale and wait for news from the White Chamber, where the young Duchess is in labour. When the messenger gallops in, the bells peal out. An heir is born, Gerald Mertoun.
His parents love each other deeply, and the whole book measures later love against theirs. His head nurse, Mistress Halsell, a plain chaplain's widow, looks at the baby with a grave respect, as if he were already a man.
Free for 3 months · Cancel anytime
You looked at
Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 14 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- First published
- 1896
- Language
- Deutsch
- Reading time
- 7 h 50 min
- Level
- Medium level
Cite this edition
Burnett, Frances Hodgson. His Grace of Osmonde. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/his-grace-of-osmonde.
Burnett, F. H. (2026). His Grace of Osmonde. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/his-grace-of-osmonde (Original work published 1896)
Burnett, Frances Hodgson. His Grace of Osmonde. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/his-grace-of-osmonde.
@book{burnett2026his,
author = {Burnett, Frances Hodgson},
title = {His Grace of Osmonde},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/his-grace-of-osmonde},
note = {First published 1896}
}
Free gifts
580 USD in free gifts when you start
Every book in every format and in 25 languages, 5 accounts for the price of one. Nothing to pay today.
- 200,000+ classic eBooksIn 25 languages, side by side
170 USDFREE - Every audiobookIn 25 languages, any device
120 USDFREE - 15-minute summariesRead or listen, in 25 languages
60 USDFREE - Print at cost, no markupPaperback, hardcover, large print
60 USDFREE - 5 accounts for the price of oneA shelf for everyone at home
170 USDFREE - A part in rebuilding the libraryNew languages and books for all
FREE
Questions about Seine Gnaden von Osmonde
Can I read it free?
Yes. The first key idea of the 15-minute summary is free with no sign-up. Start free and the whole book is yours for 3 months, with the eBook to keep, plus 200,000+ more classics and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print. Nothing to pay today: we email you 7 days before your first payment, and you can cancel online in two clicks.
Can I buy the printed book?
Soon. The paperback, hardcover and large print editions are being prepared. Choose Paperback or Hardcover above, leave your email, and we tell you the day you can order it, printed at cost.
How many accounts do I get?
Five, for the price of one: you and 4 more people, each with their own login, shelf and their own place in every book.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Cancel online in two clicks at any time and nothing more is charged. Nothing is charged in your first 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment.
What is His Grace of Osmonde about?
It follows Gerald Mertoun, heir to the Duke of Osmonde, from his birth in 1676 into manhood. He waits years for a woman worthy of him and meets Clorinda Wildairs, a wild Gloucestershire beauty, while loyalty and honor stand between them.
Who is Clorinda Wildairs?
Clorinda, called Clo, is the youngest daughter of the brutal baronet Sir Jeoffry Wildairs. Raised among hunters and stable hands, she is fearless and beautiful, and she later remakes herself into a stately lady while keeping her fire.
Is His Grace of Osmonde based on a true story?
The main characters are invented, but the setting is real. The story moves through the courts of Charles the Second and Queen Anne and brings in historical figures such as the Duke of Marlborough and his Duchess, Sarah.
More by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Alle Bücher des Autors ansehenMore like this
Our mission
The library burned once. We are building it back.
Every great book, in every language and every format, for every family. Every plan helps pay for new languages, new audiobooks and books for readers who have never had them. Join the movement.
Read our story- Every language25 languages today, side by side, and more every year
- No wastePrinted on demand: no warehouses, no unsold stock, no pulped copies
- For everyonePaperback, hardcover and large print at the cost of printing






















