2018/35: Lord John and the Private Matter -- Diana Gabaldon

2018/35: Lord John and the Private Matter -- Diana Gabaldon

In defense of King, country, and family, he would unhesitatingly have sacrificed his virtue to Nessie, had that been required. If it was a question of Olivia marrying a man with syphilis and half the British army being exterminated in battle, versus himself experiencing a ‘personal interview’ with Richard Caswell, though, he rather thought Olivia and the King had best look to their own devices. [loc. 2036]

I have a vague notion that I've read this before, in the pre-blogging days. Nothing seemed familiar, though ...

The setting is the 1750s, mostly in London. Lord John Grey is the younger son of an aristocratic family, and an officer in King George's army. He is also homosexual, which is incidental to the plot but a lynchpin of his character. ( non-spoilery )