Well then. Nicholas Falcott, Marquess of Blackdown, is about to be battle-slaughtered so he jumps ahead a few hundred years. Like you do.
And apparently, like lots of people do. Because there's a whole GUILD set up to catch them at the other end and be like, This is the future, here is what cell phones are and a Kardashian is and here's a bunch of money, now go and enjoy, because there is no way to go back in time and you are stuck here.
Some ten years later, Nicholas finds out that this last part might not be true, and the Guild needs him to go back in time to be the Marquess and Do Some Marquessy Stuff.
Probably wander around town taking his scarf off. Or cravat, whatever. I'm not picky.
Also to tell his family that he had amnesia and was lost in Spain, because how else do you account for those three years? Amnesia is the spackle of fine drama.
So he goes home to his lands and his good English beer and raw cheeses, and the girl with the dark eyes whom he is sure must be grown and married by now, only she's NOT, and boy howdy does she ever have Secrets w/r/t time travel (and also a fine ass [and also her own storyline and a personality. She's not just a tasty petit-four]). Also, the Guild obviously has Secrets (nothing called 'The Guild' has been trustworthy since the dawn of literature). And then Nicholas is obviously keeping secrets from ERRRRRRbody and trying not to be too horrified at the lack of female agency or let slip his 21st century American slang.
Basically Nicholas' whole life right now.
Also, did I mention that the future is collapsing on itself? THIS IS WHY WE DON'T PLAY WITH TIME-TRAVEL.
So there's heaps and heaps of glorious plot, and the deflowering of an 19th-century virgin (which I always enjoy), but also literary references, because everyone from the Guild gets steeped in literary and pop culture when they arrive in The Future so they can just casually toss off Shakespeare and nursery rhymes and what-all, but they are the very best kind of references, NOT THE KIND that stick out and make you feel stupid if you don't get them, but the kind that blend seamlessly, and only those who know are like
[Total side-tirade: stop being like, 'Ferris Bueller reference, anyone?' If you have to point out that you've made a Ferris Bueller {or any} allusion, then you're doing it wrong. Be like Bee, guys. Do it subtle, or don't do it at all. I'm begging.]
I knew from Alice's post that there were sequels, but I forgot, so I was getting to the last 50 pages all, Hmmm, there's a lot of plot that needs wrapping up still. So, I'm going to read the next one immediately it comes out, but I'm not mad about it (I'm a little mad about it).
Eight and a half caterpillars!