The Touchstone of Fortune: Being the Memoir of Baron Clyde, Who Lived, Thrived, and Fell in the Doleful Reign of the So-called Merry Monarch, Charles II

In Short

This historical novel serves as the memoir of Baron Clyde, a witness to the moral bankruptcy of the Restoration era. The narrative follows the beautiful Frances Jennings and the roguish George Hamilton as they attempt to survive the hazards of Whitehall Palace, where virtue is a liability and vice is the currency of the realm. Blending political intrigue—specifically the controversial sale of Dunkirk—with the personal stakes of a high-stakes romance, the book offers a cynical yet spirited look at how courage and character are tested by an indifferent, often cruel, society.

The Story

The story begins with the narrator, Baron Clyde, introducing his friend George Hamilton, a man of reckless bravery and innate decency who struggles to navigate the corrupt environment of King Charles II’s court. Hamilton is a favorite of the king, yet he is temperamentally unsuited for the cynicism of Whitehall, where honesty is held in contempt. Amidst this backdrop, Clyde’s cousin, Frances Jennings, arrives at court. Armed with extraordinary beauty and a sharp, principled mind, she quickly captures the attention of the king and the surrounding nobility.

Frances’s journey is defined by her refusal to succumb to the predatory advances of the Merry Monarch. Despite the king’s efforts to buy her favor with pensions and titles, she maintains her dignity, even while suffering from the pain of a forbidden love for Hamilton. The plot thickens when a series of violent crimes—including the murder of Roger Wentworth—implicates the king’s inner circle. As the city of London grows restless and demands justice, the king plays a duplicitous game, feigning sympathy while shielding the perpetrators to protect his own debauched interests.

As tensions rise, Hamilton becomes embroiled in the political maneuvering surrounding the secret sale of Dunkirk to the French. He and his allies, including the crafty Dr. Lilly, orchestrate a daring plan to secure the treaty while managing to outwit the king’s henchmen. The narrative reaches its climax when Frances, acting with immense courage, engages in a high-stakes deception to finalize the deal, nearly falling victim to the king’s kidnapping attempts in the process.

Throughout these trials, the characters’ relationships are forged in fire. Clyde falls deeply in love with the innkeeper’s daughter, Betty, and must navigate his own shifting loyalties and the class barriers that threaten their union. Eventually, the group realizes that the court is a death trap. Hamilton, weary of the intrigue and having sacrificed much for his ideals, prepares to flee. Frances, having matured through her battles with her own heart and the machinations of power, ultimately finds a path away from the court’s corruption. The memoir concludes with the survivors finding refuge in France, having successfully outmaneuvered the king and secured a measure of peace. They reflect on their lives as having been tested by the "Touchstone of Fortune," acknowledging that while they have escaped, they leave behind a world where such integrity is rare and dangerously punished.

How It Unfolds

The arrival at Whitehall Baron Clyde and his cousin Frances Jennings enter the orbit of King Charles II, where they encounter a court defined by vanity, vice, and the king's predatory charm. Frances quickly becomes the most sought-after woman in the palace, testing her strength against the king's insatiable appetites.

The shadow of violence The suspicious murder of Roger Wentworth exposes the rot at the heart of the monarchy. As the king actively protects his criminal friends, those with a conscience, like Hamilton, find themselves targeted for their perceived interference in royal affairs.

The game of shadows Amidst the political instability, a secret treaty to sell Dunkirk to the French becomes the focal point of a dangerous conspiracy. Hamilton and Clyde work with clandestine figures to manipulate the king’s greed while protecting Frances from his unwanted advances.

The final escape The plot culminates in a tense confrontation where Frances uses her wit to outfox the king. Following a narrow escape from the palace, the group abandons their precarious lives in London to find safety and happiness in exile.

The People

Baron Clyde acts as the observant, loyal narrator. He seeks to protect his cousin Frances and navigate his own budding, complicated love for the innkeeper's daughter, Betty. He grows from a detached court observer into a man willing to sacrifice his status for personal integrity.

Frances Jennings is defined by her beauty and her unwavering moral compass. She wants to maintain her honor in a place designed to strip it away. Over the course of the story, she transforms from an uncertain newcomer into a woman of steely resolve who successfully dictates her own fate.

George Hamilton is the central romantic and political figure. While he possesses the recklessness of his peers, he is distinguished by a lingering, "undoing" goodness. He struggles with his attraction to the court’s lifestyle and his genuine love for Frances, eventually learning that his survival depends on leaving the king’s influence behind.

King Charles II serves as the primary antagonist. He is charming but morally bankrupt, driven by his appetites and the need for quick funds. He does not change; rather, he remains a static, dangerous force of nature that the protagonists must learn to outrun.

In Its Own Voice

"For what is the use of being wicked if one hides one's light under a bushel?"

The narrator reflects on the brazen, performative vice that defines the culture of the Restoration court.

"I have often heard you say bitingly that women do not hate wickedness in men as they should."

Frances challenges the narrator to acknowledge the complex, often contradictory nature of human attraction and moral judgment.

"We are apt to turn from the nauseating innocuousness of the truly good and to thank God for a modicum of interesting sin."

Frances provides a candid, unsettling insight into why the atmosphere of the court is so difficult to resist.

What It's Really About

At its core, the book examines the cost of integrity in a society that views virtue as an eccentricity. It poses a fundamental question: can a person remain honest in an environment that demands corruption for advancement? The "Touchstone of Fortune" represents the arbitrary nature of fate—the idea that success is less a matter of character than of luck. The narrative argues that goodness is not a passive state but a difficult, active choice that frequently leaves the practitioner vulnerable to those who treat life as a cynical game. The book is not merely a historical adventure, but a somber reflection on the disillusionment that comes when one realizes that the "Merry Monarch" is, in reality, a source of profound moral decay.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate historical fiction that prioritizes atmosphere and character internalities will find much to admire here. The prose is elegant and possesses a distinct period flair that immerses the reader in the claustrophobic, high-stakes environment of 17th-century Whitehall. You will find it particularly rewarding if you enjoy stories where the protagonists are not flawless heroes but flawed, struggling individuals attempting to reconcile their desires with their principles.

However, the book demands patience. The archaic, formal language and the author's occasional reliance on long, philosophical asides can feel dense to a modern ear. Additionally, some readers may find the period attitudes toward class and gender—often presented as unvarnished fact by the narrator—to be challenging. Yet, these elements add to the book’s authenticity, creating a visceral sense of the past that feels lived-in rather than manufactured. What lingers long after the final page is the quiet, bittersweet relief of the characters as they discard their ambitions for the sake of genuine, human connection. It is a rewarding study for anyone interested in the friction between public duty and private conscience, and it remains a poignant reminder that the pursuit of fortune is rarely worth the loss of one's soul.