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Showing 1 - 20 of 29982 items
By E. Thompson. 2002
Cornwall, 1914 - Perys Tremayne arrives at St Austell to stay with relatives at the ancient family home of Heligan…
House. But this is not a social visit: Perys is hoping to use his family connections to start a military career with the Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry. Perys is a Tremayne, but only just: his childhood was coloured by the disgrace of his illegitimacy. While family tensions continue to strain, Perys finds friendship with the locals, in particular farm girl Annie Rowe. Annie, though, has long been the subject of a tacit agreement between her parents and neighbours the Rowes, that one day she would marry their son Jimmy. And when Jimmy is badly injured in the trenches at Ypres, Annie feels unable to refuse. It seems that Perys and Annie are fated to remain apart, but in this war to end all wars, one can never be sure what is to happen next . . .By Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. 2014
In 1914, Britain faces a new kind of war. For Edward and Beatrice Hunter, their children, servants and neighbours, life…
will never be the same again. For David, the eldest, war means a chance to do something noble; but enlisting will break his mother's heart. His sister Diana, nineteen and beautiful, longs for marriage. She has her heart set on Charles Wroughton, son of Earl Wroughton, but Charles will never be allowed to marry a banker's daughter. Below stairs, Cook and Ada, the head housemaid, grow more terrified of German invasion with every newspaper atrocity story. Ethel, under housemaid, can't help herself when it comes to men and now soldiers add to the temptation; yet there's more to this flighty girl than meets the eye. The once-tranquil village of Northcote reels under an influx of khaki volunteers, wounded soldiers and Belgian refugees. The war is becoming more dangerous and everyone must find a way to adapt to this rapidly changing world. Goodbye Piccadilly is the first book in the War at Home series by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, author of the much-loved Morland Dynasty novels. Set against the real events of 1914, Goodbye Piccadilly is extraordinary in scope and imagination and is a compelling introduction to the Hunter family.By E. Thompson. 1997
South-West England, 1812. England is at war with America and when two hundred and fifty American prisoners-of-war arrive at Dartmoor…
prison, it is already overcrowded with French prisoners. Among the newcomers is Lieutenant Pilgrim Penn, an American merchant seaman, who soon falls in love with a local girl at a market held inside the prison walls. The inmates fight amongst themselves, despite their common enemy and the Americans are a particularly troublesome group. When the governor's daughter becomes romantically involved with one of them, he orders his soldiers to open fire during a minor disturbance, even though the war has ended and personal revenge is suspected as his true motivation.By E. Thompson. 1982
Daniel Retallick has grown to manhood during the years of flood tide in the chronicles of Africa. The son of…
Josh and Miriam Retallick, he settles with his wife and children on a homestead in a valley of Matabeleland. But the years are the 1880s, and the Matabele impis are advancing with their singing spears towards the deal-dealing Maxim guns of the white man. Daniel Retallick's loyalties, plans and dreams are about to be swept by fate into the whirlpool of history...By E. Thompson. 1998
Josh and Miriam Retallick and their grandson Ben seem almost part of the wild and rugged Cornish landscape of 1913.…
Yet a revolutionary spirit of change is sweeping across the country - and the whole of Europe - with terrifying haste. Even before the outbreak of the Great War, with strike action compromising his position in the community and threatening the future of the China clay industry, Ben is unsettled by the presence of his cousin Emma Cotton. Inspired by the blossoming suffragette movement, it is a cause which takes her to London and a meeting with ardent campaigner Tessa Wren. As Emma and Tessa are plunged into the turmoil of driving ambulances to the front line in France, Ben's wife, Lily, resigned to dying in a Swiss clinic, pushes her husband towards this courageous new woman . . .By Robert Farrington. 1974
1485: Richard III lies dead, and the Wars of the Roses are reaching a murderous endThe Battle of Bosworth Field…
is over, and Richard III's right-hand man, Henry Morane, faces hanging at the hands of the traitor Sir William Stanley. Eyes closed, awaiting an arrow through the heart that never comes, Morane receives an eleventh-hour reprieve from an unlikely source.With all his friends dead, Morane has no choice but to work for the Lancastrian victor and first Tudor monarch: King Henry VII. In order to win this fair king's trust, Morane must become part of the new English espionage network under spymaster Christopher Urswick.But the first two years of Henry's reign will prove to be violent, and the road to victory in the Wars of the Roses will climax in one final battle of bloody attrition.With the mystery of C.J. Sansom and the epic adventure of Conn Iggulden, Robert Farrington's thrilling novel continues the story begun in The Killing of Richard IIIBy Catherine King. 2015
DutyNell Goodman is a good daughter. Her job in the local brewery is the only thing keeping her and her…
mother afloat. But with her mother becoming increasingly eccentric and requiring more and more attention, Nell is starting to feel the burden of her responsibilities.DreamsWhen Nell goes to George Wilmot, the brewery's owner, for help he offers her a job as a live-in servant at Wilmot Grange. And then she begins to grow closer to Devlin, George's son, and it looks like Nell's luck is finally changing.DespairAn unwelcome discovery and a tragedy mean that things suddenly change. Devlin pulls away from Nell, her mother's behaviour is becoming worse, and there are secrets around every corner. Somehow Nell is at the heart of all the drama and yet she has no idea of the part she is supposed to play . . .By Robert Farrington. 1978
1487: Wars of the Roses are over, but for one man the battle burns onThe battle of Stoke Field is…
won. With the help of his spy and Richard III's one-time right-hand man Henry Morane, King Henry VII has quashed the rebels and now turns to the defence of the realm as England's spy network extends its fingers.His life as ever, in the balance, Morane is sent to York, Bristol and Flanders by the King to thwart the threat of invasion, led secretly by Richard III's sister, Margaret, Duchess of Burgundy, while a full-scale rebellion brews at home.But Morane has his own plans: revenge on those who betrayed him and Richard at the battle of Bosworth Field. Manipulating events to his ends, Morane will bring the wrath of God down on those who killed his master.With the mystery of C.J. Sansom and the epic adventure of Conn Iggulden, Robert Farrington's thrilling novel concludes the series begun with The Killing of Richard IIIBy Catherine King. 2014
Desire Lettie Hargreaves wants more than her simple, uncomplicated life with her grandmother can provide. She longs for excitement and…
love and she's determined to make something of herself. Deceit There is something about Lettie's mother that Ivy has kept hidden from her granddaughter, something that would shatter her world. So when Lettie suggests going into service for the ailing Lady Laughton, Ivy knows she must do something to stop it. Determination Feeling stifled and confused, Lettie chooses a different path that offers her the chance at love and of the life she so craves. But she is still the same strong-minded young woman and her ambition may do more harm than good as she is entirely unaware of the secrets her actions will uncover.By Catherine King. 2013
*A DIGITAL-EXCLUSIVE SHORT STORY* The day of the Langton Park community fair has arrived and Evie Preston, a well-respected professor's…
daughter, is eager to spread the word about her afternoon lecture programme for ladies. She has no clue how her ideas will affect three very different women... Lady Alice is struggling with the life her mother and brother believe she should be living. Surely she should be making these choices for herself? Florence is bright but she's bored. She's keen to continue learning but her parents think she's had all the education she needs. And then there's Meg, who is young and full of hope for the future, but frustrated with the obstacles in her way. Authentic, gripping and spellbinding, The Professor's Daughter is a short story about a group of strong women who are unable to ignore their responsibilities but who also refuse to ignore their hearts. *Contains an exclusive extract from Catherine King's new novel, A Sister's Courage: a story of tragedy, strength and hope*By Charlotte Betts. 2013
1666. Newly married to a wealthy spice merchant, Kate Finche believes all her dreams of a happy family life are…
just around the corner until the Great Fire rages through London. She watches in horror as their livelihood goes up in flames, filling the air with the heady scents of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. As the city is devastated, Kate's husband Robert is forced to seek employment to ensure their survival, but when he is found drowned, Kate refuses to believe that he has taken his own life. Widowed and penniless, she seeks refuge in The House of Perfume, the home of blind perfumer Gabriel Harte, who awakens Kate's senses to a whole new world. But as she flees from this forbidden love, her husband's murderer comes looking for her . . . The Spice Merchant's Wife is a stunning novel, bursting with the colour and flavour of Restoration London - perfect for readers of Phillipa Gregory, Joanne Harris and Patrick Suskind's Perfume.By Catherine King. 2013
SacrificeWhen her mother passed away, Meg Parker was forced to sacrifice her chance at love for the sake of her…
family. She hopes she will be able to live a full life once again after her father remarries - until tragedy strikes a second time. Suddenly, Meg is facing a darker future altogether.StrugglesLady Alice Langton is travelling the Yorkshire Dales, spreading the suffragette message. Florence Brookes, the daughter of a prosperous grocer, accompanies her, impassioned by the cause but seeking distraction from her own troubles. Appalled by their lack of domestic skills, Meg decides to flee her old life and joins the two women as their maidservant as they make their way to London.StrengthWhen Meg is reunited with her old flame, she is hesitant about her feelings for him - not least because of the rift this causes between her and Lady Alice. It's not until Florence's actions land them in jeopardy that Meg realises she must find the courage to make a heartbreaking choice.By Pat Lowery Collins. 2009
While studying under Vivaldi, three girls in a Venice orphanage forge their own notions of love in a sensuous, engrossing…
novel told in three narrative voices. It is a longing search for love that motivates three girls living in the Ospedale della Pietà, an orphanage renowned for its extraordinary musical program. But for Rosalba, Anetta, and Luisa, the love they seek is not where they expect to find it. Set in the early 1700s in the heart of Venice, this remarkable novel deftly weaves the history of Antonio Vivaldi's early musical career into the lives of three young women who excel in voice and instrument. Under the composer's tutelage and care, the orphans find expression, sustenance, and passion. But can the sheltered life of the orphanage prepare them for the unthinkable dangers outside its walls?By Catherine King. 2012
LossPhyllis Kimber's entire future is called into question after her father is killed in Earl Redfern's employ. But the earl…
knows something about Phyllis that means she will always be looked after.LiesAs lady's maid to Martha, Phyllis is the American heiress's only confidant in England: she knows Martha doesn't love the recently widowed Lord Melton, the man Martha's socially ambitious father is determined she marries, but there's another secret - a secret that makes Phyllis give up everything to protect her friend.LoyaltyMartha begins making preparations to return to America with Phyllis, her father and new husband on the Titanic but the burden of deception eclipses Phyllis's hope for a new future. As she struggles to protect Martha, Phyllis must decide where her loyalties lie, unaware of the undiscovered secrets in her own past and of the tragedy that is about to unfold on that fateful crossing.By William Makepeace Thackeray.
This classic story of two nineteenth-century social climbers is the basis for countless films and TV series, and one of…
the UK’s “Best-Loved Novels.” Before the Real Housewives, there were Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley. Ruthless and cunning, Becky may have been born in a lower class, but now that she’s graduated from school, she’s ready to climb up to a better life—and do whatever it takes to get there. Her friend Emmy, however, is the opposite. She may have mastered music, dancing, and embroidery like any young woman of her class, but she utterly lacks a backbone. Together these friends navigate the perils of Regency society as they search for love and happiness. Social battles are waged against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, and when the smoke finally clears, there’s no telling who will come out victorious. A satirical masterpiece, Vanity Fair was #14 on The Guardian’s list of the 100 Best Novels and #122 in the BBC’s “Big Read” poll for the UK’s best-loved novel. It has inspired numerous adaptations, from early silent films to a 2004 movie by Mira Nair starring Reese Witherspoon as Becky.By Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. 2004
England in 1912 still bears itself with Edwardian confidence, but strikes, protests and public violence reveal the fault lines as…
society evolves under the spur of new ideas and technology. Among the many branches of the Morland family, Jessie and Violet, childhood friends, learn to cope with the surprises of marriage and motherhood and their different strata of society. Jack, disappointed in love, loses himself in designing aircraft and training airmen for the newly formed flying corps. And Anne exhausted by the Suffragette struggle, seeks comfort in her friendship with an unconventional young woman. The Titanic tragedy shakes the confidence of a people used to conquering nature with engineering; and all the while, the troubled nations of Europe edge closer to a war no-one wants, but which seems inevitable.By Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. 1998
Benedict Morland's comfortable life is overset when an old enemy's dying wish leaves him guardian of an orphaned boy. No-one,…
including his wife Sibella, can understand why Benedict accepts Lennox Mynott into his household and, amid growing hostility at Morland Place, he takes the boy to America, to join his daughter Mary at Twelvetrees Plantation. Here, Benedict, as well as Lennox, fall in love with the Southern way of life, just at the moment when bitter civil war is about to destroy it forever.By Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. 2007
1916. England is at war, and the Morland family is in the thick of it, with two men already in…
France and three more soon to go. Tragedy strikes Morland Place when Jessie's husband Ned is reported missing on the Western Front. His father launches a desperate bid to find him, but the family fear the worst. Jessie, in mourning and frustrated by her job as an auxiliary nurse, goes to London to work in a military hospital. There she is reunited with her old friend Oliver, posted to the capital under the RAMC. Also in London is Violet, whose affair with the brilliant artist Octavian Laidislaw is about to erupt in scandal . . .The Measure of Days paints a portrait of a family, and a nation, at war, at a pivotal point in history. With the onset of conscription, no one is left unaffected. Every man must hold himself in readiness; and every woman knows that when she says goodbye, it might be for the last time.By Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. 2001
Freed from her miserable marriage by widowhood, Henrietta is at last able to marry her beloved Jerome Compton, but his…
divorced state means that they have to make their home away from Yorkshire. Settling in London Henrietta finds she takes to urban life with great enjoyment, as does her daughter Lizzie. Soon their home is full of visitors from the best of the city's artistic and scientific circles, and she also makes contact with her cousin Lady Venetia - now a qualified doctor and married at long last to 'Beauty' Haselmere. Venetia's marriage has redeemed her reputation and they find themselves guests at Sandringham and Hatfield. Healthy children are born to both women and it seems as though the comfortable tenor of their lives will never be disturbed again, but clouds are gathering on the horizon and when the deluge comes one of them is forced out of society. Yet it proves more of a homecoming than an exile.Another absorbing piece of English history, deftly told with a rich and colourful background.By Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. 1999
George Morland, newly master of Morland Place, embarks on a grand improvement and expansion of the estate. His sister Henrietta,…
eager to be both good and useful, marries the scholarly rector, Mr Fortescue. And in London, their cousin Lady Venetia Fleetwood, moved by the medical horrors of the Franco-Prussian war, sets out to become a doctor.But the agricultural slump threatens Morland Place with ruin; the medical world rejects Venetia with contempt; and Mr Fortescue proves to be not what he seems. The Morlands have to come to terms with hard reality, and find their happiness in other, unexpected places.