Count, perhaps, on returning book and French article (5)
I believe the answer is:
noble
'count perhaps' is the definition.
(I know that count is a type of noble)
'on returning book and french article' is the wordplay.
'returning' says the letters should be written backwards.
'book' becomes 'b' (abbreviation for book).
'and' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'french article' becomes 'le' (definite article in French).
'on' back-to-front is 'no'.
'no'+'b'+'le'='NOBLE'
(Other definitions for noble that I've seen before include "Illustrious, peer" , "Possibly count" , "Of high rank or birth" , "Maybe count" , "Imposing, magnificent" .)