Daughters of England Series by Philippa Carr

"I was born in the September of 1523, nine months after the monks had discovered the child in the crib on that Christmas morning. My birth was, my father used to say, another miracle: He was not young at the time being forty years of age . . . My mother, whose great pleasure was tending her gardens, called me Damask, after the rose which Dr. Linacre, the King's physician, had brought into England that year... more"I was born in the September of 1523, nine months after the monks had discovered the child in the crib on that Christmas morning. My birth was, my father used to say, another miracle: He was not young at the time being forty years of age . . . My mother, whose great pleasure was tending her gardens, called me Damask, after the rose which Dr. Linacre, the King's physician, had brought into England that year." Thus begins the story narrated by Damask Farland, daughter of a well-to-do lawyer whose considerable lands adjoin those of St. Bruno's Abbey. It is a story of a life inextricably enmashed with that of Bruno, the mysterious child found on the abbey altar that Christmas morning and raised by the monks to become a man at once handsome and saintly, but also brooding and ominous, tortured by the secret of his origin which looms ever more menacingly over the huge abbey he comes to dominate. This is also the story of an engaging family, the Farlands. Of a fathr wise enough to understand "the happier our King is, the happier I as a true subject must be," a wife twenty years his junior, and a daughter whose intelligence is constantly to war with the strange hold Bruno has upon her destiny. What happens to the Farlands against the background of what is happening to King Henry and his court during this robust period provides a novel in which suspense and the highlights of history are wonderfully balanced. less

Catharine Kingsman The Lion Triumphant follows The Miracle at St Bruno's with Catharine, the daughter of Damask, growing up in the new Elizabethan age -- one of the most eventful in English history because of the struggle for power between two mighty rivals had begun. Catharine, smarting from the bitter blow which deprived her of her lover, meets the lusty sea Captain Jake Pennlyon, who makes it clear that he allows nothing to come between him and his desires... moreCatharine Kingsman The Lion Triumphant follows The Miracle at St Bruno's with Catharine, the daughter of Damask, growing up in the new Elizabethan age -- one of the most eventful in English history because of the struggle for power between two mighty rivals had begun. Catharine, smarting from the bitter blow which deprived her of her lover, meets the lusty sea Captain Jake Pennlyon, who makes it clear that he allows nothing to come between him and his desires. Catharine is the chief of these and the battle between two stong-willed and tempestuous people is fought out in the shadow of the growing rivalry between Spain and England. Catharine delights in outwitting the man who would subdue her and before he can have his way a mysterious abduction takes place. A captive on a Spanish galleon, Catharine experiences the terrors of the sea and makes the aquaintance of the mysterious and dignified Don Felipe. In the Hacienda she discovers the reason for her capture and what is demanded of her, which bears out the fact that Jake Pennlyon is a man whose life is inextricably interwoven with her own. His symbol is the Lion and there is no escape from him and his determination to overcome her resistance. He is as sure of his power to subdue her as he is of England's to rule the seas. With her Spanish son Roberto and her English daughter Linnet, Catharine is torn between love and loyalty in a story of lusty adventure on land and sea, when those who lived in the turbulent sixteenth century were caught up in the trmendous events of their times. The fight for survival is Catharine's and Jake's, Roberto's and Linnet's -- as well as England's. From Plymouth, the ships set forth, for the issue will be decided at sea. Here is the most significant engagement of all times when the little ships of England drove off the mighty Spanish galleons of Spain and the Invincible Armada was defeated, leaving the Lion Triumphant. less

With the defeat of the Spanish Armada, gentle Linnet Pennlyon imagines her life will be both secure and peaceful. But her quiet beauty attracts the roving eye of Colum Casvellyn, the powerful lord of Castle Paling. When he seduces her, marriage is inevitable. And gradually Linnet accepts her life at Castle Paling -- and the violent, passionate man she married so reluctantly... moreWith the defeat of the Spanish Armada, gentle Linnet Pennlyon imagines her life will be both secure and peaceful. But her quiet beauty attracts the roving eye of Colum Casvellyn, the powerful lord of Castle Paling. When he seduces her, marriage is inevitable. And gradually Linnet accepts her life at Castle Paling -- and the violent, passionate man she married so reluctantly. Then Maria arrives -- and the woman they call 'The Witch from the Sea' will bring terrible danger to Linnet and her children... less

Angelet and Bersaba. They were identical twins, but their alikeness stopped at their physical appearance. Angelet was gentle and mild in her innocence. While Bersaba was dark and devious in her overwhelming sensuality. They hadnever been apart--until Bersaba became ill. Angelet was immediately packed off to London. There she met and married Richard Tolworthy and went to live at the handsome, brooding manor house at Far Flamstead. Bersaba had always thought she would be the first to wed... moreAngelet and Bersaba. They were identical twins, but their alikeness stopped at their physical appearance. Angelet was gentle and mild in her innocence. While Bersaba was dark and devious in her overwhelming sensuality. They hadnever been apart--until Bersaba became ill. Angelet was immediately packed off to London. There she met and married Richard Tolworthy and went to live at the handsome, brooding manor house at Far Flamstead. Bersaba had always thought she would be the first to wed. Recovered, she went to visit the newlyweds with more jealousy than joy in her heart. Nothing could have prepared her for the secrets she discovered there. Secrets of a carefully hidden past that could unleash dangerous passions and forever separate her from the sister she had always loved... less

Arabella Tolsworthy Against the background of an England torn by civil war, religious persecution, and political treachery in the turbulent era of Cromwell and the Stuart Restoration, Philippa Carr has set the passionate story of Arabella Tolworthy, whose loves and destiny are inextricably linked to the plight of her nation... moreArabella Tolsworthy Against the background of an England torn by civil war, religious persecution, and political treachery in the turbulent era of Cromwell and the Stuart Restoration, Philippa Carr has set the passionate story of Arabella Tolworthy, whose loves and destiny are inextricably linked to the plight of her nation. The dethroned Charles I had met the executioner's ax with regal calm, and as Oliver Cromwell tightened his Puritan grip on English church and state, thousands of royalists fled their confiscated lands. Among them was young Arabella, her family seeking safe harbor in France where they hoped to serve the exiled royal heir, Charles II. Separated from her parents, confronted by the unaccustomed hardships of political banishment, she finds solace in the company or the ravishing and charismatic actress, Harriet Main. Little does Arabella suspect the threat Harriet will pose to her future happiness. Nor does she envision the tragedy that lies ahead when dashing Edwin Eversleigh, Cavalier and heir to a titular fortune, makes her his bride after a whirlwind courtship. For in the deceptive peace following Parliament's Restoration of the Crown, a widowed Arabella returns to England bearing a new scion of the Eversleigh estate. Suddenly, her quiet devotion to the memory of her beloved is shattered by the arrival of Edwin's cousin Carleton, whose bitterness at being deprived of his inheritance seemingly only Arabella can allay. The reappearance at Eversleigh Court of the conniving Harriet further jeopardizes Arabella's spiritual bond with the past. Only amidst the cataclysmic suffering wrought by St. Giles Plague and the Great London Fire does Arabella find courage enough for a personal renewal, which may help her make her sepatate peace with England. less

Pricilla Eversleigh In an England riddled by political and religious strife, Pricilla Eversleigh fights off the man who ravaged her, who is attempting to possess her daughter, and who separates her through a dark sevret they share from the man she truly loves. During the turbulent period of the "Popish plots," fouteen-year-old Pricilla Eversleigh lives untouched in the haven of Eversleigh, the family estate, with her illegitiamte sister, Christabel... morePricilla Eversleigh In an England riddled by political and religious strife, Pricilla Eversleigh fights off the man who ravaged her, who is attempting to possess her daughter, and who separates her through a dark sevret they share from the man she truly loves. During the turbulent period of the "Popish plots," fouteen-year-old Pricilla Eversleigh lives untouched in the haven of Eversleigh, the family estate, with her illegitiamte sister, Christabel. But this bastion of innocence is about to fall. Danger and romance push their way to her doorstep. Harriet Main and her son Leigh, two trusted family friends, return from the war zone. Yet another refugee stumbles into their midst -- this time it is Jocelyn Frinton, a young man haunted by a pursuer. Pricilla and her friends hide Jocelyn and a furtive romance blossoms, which is cut short when Jocelyn is captured and beheaded. Pricilla discovers she will bear his child. Harriet whisks Pricilla and Christabel to Venice to save the family name from the disgrace of an illegitimate child and plots to pass the baby off as her own. A daughter, Carlotta, is born and the family returns to Eversleigh, but not before Pricilla is abducted by the cruel and lecherous Beaumont Granville. Granville's villiany plagues Pricilla and her loved ones through many tormented years until she at last gains the final victory. less

Carlotta Main & Damaris Main As England erupts in violent Jacobite upheaval, two half-sisters -- one of surpassing beauty and untamed spirit; the other plain, shy and dutiful -- vie for the love of a man and the life of a child. When the lovely and willful Carlotta, on her way to the home of her suitor Benjie Stevens, is abducted by the dashing Jacobite leader Lord Hessenfield and forced to share his bed, she doesn't dream that the shameful coupling will spiral into mutual passion... moreCarlotta Main & Damaris Main As England erupts in violent Jacobite upheaval, two half-sisters -- one of surpassing beauty and untamed spirit; the other plain, shy and dutiful -- vie for the love of a man and the life of a child. When the lovely and willful Carlotta, on her way to the home of her suitor Benjie Stevens, is abducted by the dashing Jacobite leader Lord Hessenfield and forced to share his bed, she doesn't dream that the shameful coupling will spiral into mutual passion. But Hessenfield must flee to France, and Carlotta finds herself pregnant with his child. Desperate to save face and future, she marries Benjie and resolves to live happily ever after -- until she returns home to find her half-sister Damaris in love with Matt Pilkington, son of the neighboring estate owner. Never one to deny her desires, Carlotta plunges into a torrid affair eith Matt, a betrayal that sends the trusting Damaris into a nearly fatal illness, a easting disease from which only Carlotta's child, the enchanting Clarissa, can save her. With Damaris restored to health and a quiet if empty life, and Carlotta reunited in France with her true love, Hessenfield, it seems that each sister has realized her destiny -- until a desperate letter from Paris reveals the terrible price Carlotta has paid for her happiness and begs Damaris to save the child Clarissa from a similar fate. less

Clarissa Field Beautiful, spirited love child of a nobleman's dalliance with a tempestuous lady, Clarissa is only twelve when she first encounters the dashing officer, Lance Clavering. But she is not too young to fall in love, nor to become the pawn in a deadly game of power and passion which are both her heritage and her destiny. The time is 1715, the place an England rife with civil discontent threatening to explode into revolution... moreClarissa Field Beautiful, spirited love child of a nobleman's dalliance with a tempestuous lady, Clarissa is only twelve when she first encounters the dashing officer, Lance Clavering. But she is not too young to fall in love, nor to become the pawn in a deadly game of power and passion which are both her heritage and her destiny. The time is 1715, the place an England rife with civil discontent threatening to explode into revolution. Clarissa is caught up in events which will alter England's history -- and lure her into a strange, shadow box future. Is the dashing Lance what he pretends -- a heroic, charming lover -- or is he the agent of an evil cabal sworn to strip Clarissa of her fortune, her dignity . . . perhaps even her life? Is the mysterious young rebel, Dickon Frenshaw -- first her jailer, then her salvation -- watching over her out of devotion . . . or spying on her for those who would see her destroyed? As her dreams of romance and peace first seem to be realized in marriage, then ever more gravely thratened by that same marriage, with only herself to trust, Clarissa must penetrate the long-buried mysteries of her own legacy -- and risk a heartbreak more painful than betrayal. less

Zipporah Clavering When Zipporah Ransome set out for Eversleigh Court, her family's ancestral home, she was a sensible, predictable person. Married to a man she had known since childhood, Zipporah was satisfied with her quiet life, happy to put behind her the legacy of scandal that had long stained her heritage. Only in answer to an old man's desperate plea did she journey to a house rife with memories, with malice -- even, perhaps, with danger... moreZipporah Clavering When Zipporah Ransome set out for Eversleigh Court, her family's ancestral home, she was a sensible, predictable person. Married to a man she had known since childhood, Zipporah was satisfied with her quiet life, happy to put behind her the legacy of scandal that had long stained her heritage. Only in answer to an old man's desperate plea did she journey to a house rife with memories, with malice -- even, perhaps, with danger. But when she departed Eversleigh, Zipporah was a different woman. Caught in a widening web of menace and manipulation, she was forced to rise to the challenge of those working against her. And something more had changed for Zipporah: she had fallen in love with a handsome stranger she might never see again, but whose presence would dominate her future and her fortunes more powerfully than she could ever have imagined. less

Charlotte d'Aubigne Lottie came to her father's home in France a girl -- but with a woman's beauty and desires. Lonely for her beloved English countryside, estranged from the boy she had always adored, she was soon to be swept away by the glitter of Louis XV's Paris. As the months passed, turning into years, Lottie would be hurled into a tempest of events, forever altering her life, changing the course of history... moreCharlotte d'Aubigne Lottie came to her father's home in France a girl -- but with a woman's beauty and desires. Lonely for her beloved English countryside, estranged from the boy she had always adored, she was soon to be swept away by the glitter of Louis XV's Paris. As the months passed, turning into years, Lottie would be hurled into a tempest of events, forever altering her life, changing the course of history. New love would come, in the person of a man whose private passions would equal his great craving for liberty. And an old love, too -- his mission in France enigmatic, his motives veiled. She would know joy and treachery, grief and triumph, and the advent of a time when heads would roll, chaos prevail, and the fates of those she loved to be thrown in most dire jeopardy. less

Charlotte d'Aubigne Lottie came to her father's home in France a girl -- but with a woman's beauty and desires. Lonely for her beloved English countryside, estranged from the boy she had always adored, she was soon to be swept away by the glitter of Louis XV's Paris. As the months passed, turning into years, Lottie would be hurled into a tempest of events, forever altering her life, changing the course of history... moreCharlotte d'Aubigne Lottie came to her father's home in France a girl -- but with a woman's beauty and desires. Lonely for her beloved English countryside, estranged from the boy she had always adored, she was soon to be swept away by the glitter of Louis XV's Paris. As the months passed, turning into years, Lottie would be hurled into a tempest of events, forever altering her life, changing the course of history. New love would come, in the person of a man whose private passions would equal his great craving for liberty. And an old love, too -- his mission in France enigmatic, his motives veiled. She would know joy and treachery, grief and triumph, and the advent of a time when heads would roll, chaos prevail, and the fates of those she loved to be thrown in most dire jeopardy. less

Raised in the grand chateau of Tourville, lovely young Claudine, with her widowed mother, had fled the solitude of the French countryside as revolution torched it, sparking flames that would forever alter the landscape, their destiny, and the face of history itself... moreRaised in the grand chateau of Tourville, lovely young Claudine, with her widowed mother, had fled the solitude of the French countryside as revolution torched it, sparking flames that would forever alter the landscape, their destiny, and the face of history itself. Warmly ensconced and safe from harm in her mother's ancestral English home, Claudine discovers a new kind of danger; turning ripe and sensuous overnight, she is torn between the love of her new stepbrothers -- David, steady, scholarly, the perfect husband . . . if not the lover of her dreams; and Jonathon, so passionate, so willing to dare, far from the perfect husband, but as her first and foremost love, unsurpassed. Theirs is an amorous triangle that will burn bright through the years when England and all Europe struggle in a tyrant's grasp, till a moment on a rocky beach when one of the two men Claudine adores falls victim to a power beyond destiny. less

This is the 12th book in the "Daughters of England" series. It tells the story of Jessica, daughter of Lottie and Dickon, and of her love for a gypsy. As soon as the gypsy comes into Jessica's life he has a powerful effect - to the extent that Jessica is determined to save him from the gallows.

Annora Cadorson Set against the wild and rocky shores of nineteenth century Cornwall and the primitive outback of Australia, Midsummer's Eve is the story of Annora Cadorson, a young and innocent girl whose love and happiness are threatened by tragedy and disillusion. The daughter of Sir Jake Cadorson, lord of one of England's oldest manors, Annora is raised in the warmth of a close-knit family who ardently encourage her to marry the dashing Rolf Hanson, man of her childhood dreams... moreAnnora Cadorson Set against the wild and rocky shores of nineteenth century Cornwall and the primitive outback of Australia, Midsummer's Eve is the story of Annora Cadorson, a young and innocent girl whose love and happiness are threatened by tragedy and disillusion. The daughter of Sir Jake Cadorson, lord of one of England's oldest manors, Annora is raised in the warmth of a close-knit family who ardently encourage her to marry the dashing Rolf Hanson, man of her childhood dreams. But then comes Midsummer's Eve. The haunting events of that terrible night shatter Annora's illusions about Rolf and cause her to distrust men. She escapes to London, where fashionable society is celebrating the accession of Queen Victoria. There she meets Joe Cresswell, whose father is vying with Annora's uncle for an important Parliamentary seat. But her romance with Joe is dashed when scandal erupts between the two politically ambitious men who have brought them together. With her family, Annora sails to Australia, where she is futher shaken by their cruel and unexpected deaths. Henceforth she must confront alone the animosity and unexpected rivalries that pursue her home to her beloved Cornwall. By overcoming these trials and hardships, Annora follows the path toward womanhood and regains at last the love she had lost but had always held so dear. less

Angelet Hanson The tale is long and complicated, but attention is held as Angelet, daughter of Annora and Rolf of Midsummer's Eve, begins to enter adulthood. One incident marks her indelibly. At the superstition-laden pool of St. Branok in Cornwall, she is saved from a rapist by Ben, a young family connection on a visit from Australia. When she and Ben dispose of the attacker's body in the pool, their bond is strengthened... moreAngelet Hanson The tale is long and complicated, but attention is held as Angelet, daughter of Annora and Rolf of Midsummer's Eve, begins to enter adulthood. One incident marks her indelibly. At the superstition-laden pool of St. Branok in Cornwall, she is saved from a rapist by Ben, a young family connection on a visit from Australia. When she and Ben dispose of the attacker's body in the pool, their bond is strengthened. Ben returns to Australia in pursuit of gold; Angelet debuts in London and marries a charming scapegrace, a gambler who will eventually take her to Australia in pursuit of a fortune. There the stage is set for Angelet, by now a widow, and Ben, a putative widower. less

Rebecca Mandeville The story of The Changeling is told by Angelet's daughter, Rebecca, who was born in Benedict Lansdon's grandfather's house in an Australian gold-mining township. Before Rebecca was born, her father had died saving another man's life. She had always looked up to him as a great hero and when she heard that her mother was to marry Benedict Lansdon, she was deeply shocked. The prolific British author of historical romances ( The Pool of St... moreRebecca Mandeville The story of The Changeling is told by Angelet's daughter, Rebecca, who was born in Benedict Lansdon's grandfather's house in an Australian gold-mining township. Before Rebecca was born, her father had died saving another man's life. She had always looked up to him as a great hero and when she heard that her mother was to marry Benedict Lansdon, she was deeply shocked. The prolific British author of historical romances ( The Pool of St. Branok ) continues her lavishly entwined narrative of the families connected to Benedict Lansdon, now a recently bereaved widower, absentee father and wealthy seeker of a Parliament seat. Narrated by Benedict's aggrieved stepdaughter, Rebecca, this complex tale of love and betrayal concerns a three-cornered sibling relationship involving Rebecca, her half-sister, Belinda, and Lucie, a country waif informally adopted by Rebecca. Aware that her father blames her for her mother's death in childbirth, Belinda takes refuge in michievous behavior. Placid Lucie, however, fits in well with the family, though her lineage is suspect and clouded with mysterious events at St. Branok's pool. Although Belinda seems the most obvious "changeling", Carr sustains an air of doubt and intrigue. The ambience of the Cornish countryside and of Victorian London permeate this piquantly Gothic family saga. less

Lucie Lansdon Mysterious and romantic sequel to 'The Changeling', continuing the Cornwall saga. When Lucie Lansdon's father is assassinated in front of his London home, young Lucie is the only witness. Her testimony leads to the arrest, conviction and hanging of an Irish terrorist. But the trauma follows her throughout her life when another disaster - the death of her fiance occurs. She then marries a kind man and they set up house together with his sister... moreLucie Lansdon Mysterious and romantic sequel to 'The Changeling', continuing the Cornwall saga. When Lucie Lansdon's father is assassinated in front of his London home, young Lucie is the only witness. Her testimony leads to the arrest, conviction and hanging of an Irish terrorist. But the trauma follows her throughout her life when another disaster - the death of her fiance occurs. She then marries a kind man and they set up house together with his sister. But strange things begin to happen and she begins to believe her life is in danger. less

Lucinda Greenham When Lucinda Greenham and her impetuous friend Annabelinda Denver leave London for finishing school in Europe, neither imagines the trouble to come. It takes many forms: Anabelinda's secret affair; the child born out of wedlock; and the German invasion of Belgium. With the Germans one step behind, the girls flee across a stunned Europe on the brink of World War I, to arrive safely in England at last... moreLucinda Greenham When Lucinda Greenham and her impetuous friend Annabelinda Denver leave London for finishing school in Europe, neither imagines the trouble to come. It takes many forms: Anabelinda's secret affair; the child born out of wedlock; and the German invasion of Belgium. With the Germans one step behind, the girls flee across a stunned Europe on the brink of World War I, to arrive safely in England at last. Picking up the pieces of their lives, they consign Annabelinda's damaging past to secrecy, only to be faced with blackmail so severe it leads to murder. As the girls will learn too late, there is a time for truth and a time for silence. less

Haunted by premonitions of disaster at the marriage of her sister to Dermot Tregarland, Violetta Denver finds her worst fears realized, and soon she must move to the Tregarland estate to care for her sister's children. 17,500 first printing. Doubleday Main. Lit Guild Alt.

While Violetta stoically awaits the return of her fiance+a7 from the European front during World War II, her twin sister Dorabella's new beau unwittingly involves the family in treason. By the author of The Black Swan. Doubleday Main. Lit Guild Alt.

In tumultuous seventeenth-century Britain, ambition, family, and love collideI was beginning to realize that there was something unusual about our marriage . . . When fifteen-year-old Sarah Standish runs off to London to be an actress, she discovers a city beyond her wildest dreams. But the most exciting fantasy of all is the real-life stranger who sweeps her off her feet. Sarah marries Jack Adair, the thrillingly handsome Lord Rosslyn... moreIn tumultuous seventeenth-century Britain, ambition, family, and love collideI was beginning to realize that there was something unusual about our marriage . . . When fifteen-year-old Sarah Standish runs off to London to be an actress, she discovers a city beyond her wildest dreams. But the most exciting fantasy of all is the real-life stranger who sweeps her off her feet. Sarah marries Jack Adair, the thrillingly handsome Lord Rosslyn. She’s deliriously happy, until she learns her husband’s secret. Years later, the Adairs’ daughter Kate comes of age. Her father is desperate to retain control of Rosslyn Manor. To do this he needs a strategic alliance and the proper heir, but Kate has promised her heart to someone else. As England battles for its throne, Kate fights for the right to lead her own life, and discovers that love can triumph over the ambitions and follies of men and kings. less