The Broad Highway - Tapa blanda

Young Peter Vibart, an Oxford scholar, and rather arrogant about it, finds himself a pauper at his wealthy guardian uncle's death -- unless he weds an heiress, Lady Sophia Sefton, whom he's never laid eyes on. In his quixotic and overly confident way, he deals with this by refusing to consider even trying to meet the woman, turning down an offer of employment and going on a walking tour.