The Mitford series are very good books - I've read them all and love all the characters in them, especially of course, Ftr. Tim and his wife.
Another good series is by Elizabeth Peters. She has a series created around late 1800's and early 1900's about a very independent woman and her good looking archaeologist husband and excavating during the "season" in Egypt, etc. and living in England the rest of the time. Very entertaining stories. I love these.