Horsey Romance

OCTAVIA--Margot Asquith, Countess of Oxford and Asquith--Stokes ($2.50).

The Story. In the midst of 50,000 acres of Scotch moorland stood Dunross, sufficient unto itself, indifferent to neighboring lairds of small intelligence and long lineage. Indifferent because the clannish Daventrys were a community in themselves. There were five children, besides the resident cousin, who at the age of fifteen was in love with Octavia, youngest daughter of the house. A professor, kindly young recluse, woos her with classical quotations, understands her adolescent enthusiasms, guides her voracious reading. Worldly Compton, 34, gloating upon her 17 years of mobile beauty, coaches her proficient horsemanship, persuades her parents to send her to his friends of the English hunting world.

If Compton had thought so to win her, his calculations played him false. For Octavia's intense vitality was quickly engrossed in pursuit of hounds on the scent. Debonair Lord Tilbury loaded her with flowers, declared his love. And a highly respected Master of Hounds, dull, substantial, shy, delegated his mother to propose marriage. Octavia would make a fitting mistress to a world of vigorous horsemen.

But for all their vitality, theirs was an automatic existence. Octavia's frivolous hostess damns them as staunch Tories who nevertheless know nothing and care nothing about politics: "No one down here reads or writes. They eat, sleep, buy and sell horses, walk to the stables and back, tap the thermometer, fuss over their top boots, put ammonia in their baths; and such powers as they've got of conversation are exercised upon their stud grooms. . . ."

The exception to the category was young Greville. Vacationing from arduous if undefined politico-humanitarian labors, he offered Octavia stimulating relief from the world of hounds and their masters. Relief developed quickly into greater emotion, and they were shortly whisked off on the conventional Riviera wedding trip. That Octavia detested the still-born placidity of the Riviera made more difficult the time-honored difficulties of early married adjustment. But, back in England, the understanding professor assists her with literary quotations to live with her husband happily ever afterward.

The Significance. Because Author Asquith's first novel contains more conversation than narrative, ecstatic critics are likening her to Jane Austen. But the light touch and the subtleties of the 19th century novelist are not Margot's--hers is rather a brilliant vivacity that springs from her myriad interests. Able horsewoman, her interest reflects itself in frequent contemplation of the technicalities of horseflesh. Scintillating conversationalist, her characters reflect the widely varied circle of her acquaintance. A liberal in politics, she tilts sharply at conservatism. And the result is a mass of entertaining material, done into novel-form to allow of romance --that other interest the author so frequenty avowed in her autobiography.

The Author. Emma Alice Margaret Tennant was one of twelve children, born and bred on just such a Scottish estate as Dunross, and Laura, her favorite sister, was just such a charmer as Octavia. Upon Laura's death, Margot sought consolation in London, slumming, dancing, falling often in love. In 1894 she married a widower, Herbert Henry Asquith.* Her two children are Elizabeth, who married Rumanian Prince Bibesco, and Anthony ("Puffin") who directs cinema.

*Prime Minister (1908-16), Earl of Oxford and Asquith (created 1925), died three months ago (TIME, Feb. 27). By his first wife, Helen Melland of Manchester, he had three sons, one daughter. Last week his estate was probated, totals -L-9,168 ($44,650).