Honora Clare by Sheila Bishop (1981-03-12)

Honora had not expected romance to be one of her school's subjects! But then, she had not expected to be left penniless at the death of her father. All she had were two houses in Bath, but they did provide her with freedom. And with the shocked disapproval of her nearest relatives. For in those houses she opened a boarding school for young ladies. However, never in her wildest dreams did Honora envision pupils like these: dull Evelina, who was subject to fits; wild, unloved Nancy, whose exploits almost sent Honora to prison; lovely Corisande, whose mother turned out to be London's leading courtesan; shy Henrietta whose 'cousin' Dick turned out to be her unscrupulous seducer; and little Sally Colvin, whose willful father began to arouse very unscholarly passions in Honora's heart. . . .