An excellent tale and a ripping yarn all right! Cannot improve on the first review except to add that is the kind of leisure read you could take on a holiday. The description of the sea voyage reminded me of Life of Pi.

Chivalrous hero pretends to be married to get the girl he really loves (but who loves another) get out of a match with him. Unfortunately his imaginary bride turns out to be a real person and a beauty that every man falls in love with. His imaginary love turns real but the girl despises him for claiming to be her husband. Would be funny except the characters are too serious, too many misunderstandings, too many sub-plots etc...predictable..ok for one read