The Duke Decides

by Headon Hill

"The Duke Decides" by Headon Hill is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story follows Charles Hanbury, a former cavalry officer turned dry-goods clerk in New York City, who unexpectedly ascends to the title of Duke of Beaumanoir after a family tragedy. Thrust into a world of nobility and power, Hanbury finds himself entangled in a perilous scheme involving forged treasury bonds that might jeopardize his newly acquired status and life. The opening of the book introduces Charles Hanbury as he emerges from a grueling workday, revealing his disillusioned state after falling from grace. A chance encounter with a shady man named Jevons leads him into a dubious scheme requiring him to travel back to England to execute a forgery. Just as Hanbury grapples with this moral dilemma and the implications of his actions, he receives news of his inheritance, pushing him deeper into a web of crime and intrigue he wants to escape. As he navigates the complexities of his new identity as a duke, he must balance his past with the treachery that awaits him, setting the stage for a suspenseful and engaging narrative.