Wendy Moore

Traces the dramatic story of Mary Eleanor Bowes, the richest heiress in 18th-century Britain and an ancestor of the current queen, as she stumbles headlong into scandal when, following her first husband's death, a charming young army hero flatters his way into the widow's bed, marries her, and embarks on a campaign of violence, and cruelty against his bride to take control of her vast fortune.

The True Story of the Disastrous Marriage and Remarkable Divorce of Mary Eleanor Bowes, Countess of Strathmore

Wedlock

'Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire meets the misery memoir'

Pam Sartain

The life that Mary lead with George Stoney is one of those tales that you shudder as you read - you just want her to have a better life than the one she leads, where Stoney beats her, tells all the tradesman that he's broke (which is apparently where being 'stoney broke' comes from), even more than his contemporaries. 

And then she does finally leave him, and even goes through getting a divorce, which would have been very hard, and very scandalous for the time. A very good read!

Kathy Rodger 

Traces the story of Mary Eleanor Bowes as she stumbles into scandal when, following her husband's death, an army hero marries her and embarks on a campaign of violence and cruelty against his bride to take control of her fortune.

Wedlock The True Story of the Disastrous Marriage and Remarkable Divorce of Mary Eleanor Bowes, Countess of Strathmore

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