Linmore Series by Jemima Brigges

Estrangement – (A Marriage of Convenience – Part 2) – (Linmore Series – Book 5) continues the trials and tribulations of life for the gentry at Linmore Hall. Set in Shropshire during the Post-Napoleonic Regency era: (1816-1817) (A Sequel to Held to Ransom) It is a story about loyalty, betrayal, sacrifice and survival. A marriage is in crisis, with a problem that cannot be solved alone, and the future of the Linmore Estate hangs in the balance... moreEstrangement – (A Marriage of Convenience – Part 2) – (Linmore Series – Book 5) continues the trials and tribulations of life for the gentry at Linmore Hall. Set in Shropshire during the Post-Napoleonic Regency era: (1816-1817) (A Sequel to Held to Ransom) It is a story about loyalty, betrayal, sacrifice and survival. A marriage is in crisis, with a problem that cannot be solved alone, and the future of the Linmore Estate hangs in the balance. Only time will tell whether events yet to unfold, will restore its friendships and fortunes – or tear them asunder. If marriage had changed Joshua Norbery, the loss of his father makes him doubly aware of his own mortality. He needs a son and heir, but with Arthur Bradstone’s conditions for the return of the Linmore mortgage, duty and antipathy make poor bedfellows, which render a desirable outcome impossible in the light of his wife’s absence. Bored with her marriage, Annabel Norbery uses her children’s sensibilities to escape the restrictions of Linmore in mourning. Once free, she solicits an invitation to visit the sister of her former beau, but finds that the circle in which her friend moves, and the people they meet are very different to those with which she is familiar. Caught in a situation beyond her control, Annabel rushes home to the husband she disdained. Can she persuade Joshua to believe her version of events? Will there be consequences for her if he does? Dare she risk her father’s anger if he does not? Miss Maria Dinchope, the paragon in black bombazine, appears invincible, but she is vulnerable to the whims of a vengeful woman. Whilst her mistress’s absence brings relief, Annabel Norbery’s precipitous return alerts Maria to a situation that will test her loyalties. Having witnessed an action of spite, she cannot avoid taking sides. Will she do likewise when the offender is in need of help? Caught in a web of marital deceit, Maria knows the precarious state of her employer’s marriage, and the demands made on Joshua by his wife’s father. Can she now, in recognising her mistress’s plight, forgive the slights of the past to help Annabel in her distress - and still retain the master’s trust? Major Charlie Cobarne, a childhood friend of Joshua Norbery, grew up on the Linmore Estate but left in anger. Scarred by the wars, Charlie wants to heal the rift, but this must wait while he rescues a lady in distress. In serving her needs, his loyalty to the past is compromised. Can he still achieve his wish, and honour a promise made to his father, or will his sense of chivalry prove to be his undoing? How will he then make amends to the friend he maligned? less

Who is Nell Walcote – and from which family did she inherit her distinctive tawny curls? It is a question that begs to be answered. Finding her Place – (The Foundling’s Path – Part 2) – (Linmore Series – Book 6) – continues the saga of the foundling’s search for respectability, with the people in Linmore Dale who help her – and those who would see her fail. Set in rural Shropshire during the Post-Napoleonic Regency era (1817)... moreWho is Nell Walcote – and from which family did she inherit her distinctive tawny curls? It is a question that begs to be answered. Finding her Place – (The Foundling’s Path – Part 2) – (Linmore Series – Book 6) – continues the saga of the foundling’s search for respectability, with the people in Linmore Dale who help her – and those who would see her fail. Set in rural Shropshire during the Post-Napoleonic Regency era (1817). (A Sequel to Living in the Shadows) Nell Walcote has gained acceptance as a physician’s nurse, but her early life is a closed book. Although she is happy in her work, Nell senses that her routine is changing and she is being guided along a different path by people whose expectations she cannot comprehend. Marriage is not an option, for only one man would meet her ideal, and he is beyond her reach. Meg Chapel, the gypsy herbalist and midwife, is a misfit, living between two worlds. A woman who, knowing the secret of the foundling’s past, shared her skills to help the girl survive. Summoned to a confinement, Meg comes like a shadow in the night and disappears with the dawn. What is it about her appearance that causes consternation in the household at Linmore Hall? What does she know of the people there, and when she leaves, will she take more illicit secrets than those acquired at the bedside? Dr James Althorpe, a country physician, has a duty to maintain his professional integrity. How can he respond when his patient, a lady in distress, is less than honest? Should James base his diagnosis on what he is told or clinical judgement - and what part does his instinct for the truth play? What he suspects is a secret so shocking it should not be kept – but what if he is wrong and the cause is a legitimate one? Can he afford to be judgemental when this could solve another man’s problem? How will James justify his decision when the situation becomes increasingly complex? Embroiled in a web of secrecy and subterfuge, James meets people in senior positions who act out of character; and others determined to compel him to believe their version of events. Loyalty he can understand, but only so far. With too many demands on his time and a conflict of interest between two lady patients, James’s suspicions are aroused when a pregnancy is not what it seems, and he learns that a secret commission he is given will have far-reaching consequences. Discretion is imperative for a careless word could bring scandal for one and endanger another. He needs help, but on whom, apart from Nell Walcote, can he rely? Mystery and speculation abound when enquiries into a foundling’s past reveal links with people of quality, and the conspiracies of people who will stop at nothing to achieve their aims? How can James reconcile his conscience to the decisions yet to be made, when the ethical and moral issues raise grave concern – equal to those involving his patient of the gentry? less

Sometimes, a loss will bring gain, but the question is – for whom?Hiding the Truth - (A Marriage of Convenience – Part 3) – (Linmore Series Book 7) continues the family saga at Linmore Hall, as the aftermath of a marriage becomes a battle on which the future of Linmore and that of a child depends. Set in Shropshire during the Post-Napoleonic Regency era (1817-1818). (A Sequel to Estrangement)Linmore is in turmoil. Joshua Norbery’s marriage ended in childbirth, but life goes on... moreSometimes, a loss will bring gain, but the question is – for whom?Hiding the Truth - (A Marriage of Convenience – Part 3) – (Linmore Series Book 7) continues the family saga at Linmore Hall, as the aftermath of a marriage becomes a battle on which the future of Linmore and that of a child depends. Set in Shropshire during the Post-Napoleonic Regency era (1817-1818). (A Sequel to Estrangement)Linmore is in turmoil. Joshua Norbery’s marriage ended in childbirth, but life goes on. He has a son in the nursery, whose parentage is in question. Whilst the Law supports his claim as a father; the truth does not, for Joshua Norbery is a cuckold. A fact he cannot admit.Having reneged on a promise to return the Linmore mortgage on the birth of a grandson; Arthur Bradstone blames Joshua for his daughter’s loss and demands the child is given into his care. Joshua refuses, claiming that the baby, allegedly part of a twin pregnancy, was born early. To support the pretence, he enlists the help of his physician and gains a few months’ grace, until the baby’s first birthday.Tensions escalate when Bradstone’s treachery forces Joshua to strengthen the Linmore defences. Now he must exploit a weakness in the other man’s armour, knowing that Bradstone will stop at nothing to defeat him. An offer of help brings conditions Joshua must agree, without knowing if the task can be achieved. Dare he trust his instincts? Only when Linmore is safe can he find a new mother for his children.Miss Maria Dinchope, one of a few people aware of the true situation, is anxious about what will happen if Arthur Bradstone’s threat against Joshua comes to fruition. Will Maria be forced to leave Linmore, and its master, to find a new position; and if so, where would she go...? What will she do?News from a long-lost friend causes a crisis of conscience. Maria must decide which takes precedence; old loyalties with family links, or Linmore, and the persona she adopted? Dare she, for once, consider her own needs - and if she does, what is left for her at Linmore...? less

Maria’s life at Linmore ended with the heartbeat of another... A Taste of Freedom - (An Indignity Redressed) - (Linmore Series Book 10) - the latest episode of an epic family saga involving the landed gentry and working classes in rural Shropshire during the late Regency Georgian era of the 19th century, (1821 - 1827)... moreMaria’s life at Linmore ended with the heartbeat of another... A Taste of Freedom - (An Indignity Redressed) - (Linmore Series Book 10) - the latest episode of an epic family saga involving the landed gentry and working classes in rural Shropshire during the late Regency Georgian era of the 19th century, (1821 - 1827).(Sequel to An Element of Doubt)When dramatic events force Miss Maria Dinchope to leave her position at Linmore Hall, she determines to contact her late mother’s brother and seek another who can answer a significant question from her youth. Meticulous in her planning, Maria writes a carefully scripted letter of introduction to the gentleman and receives a civil invitation in response. Then, armed with a few precious family mementoes, she resumes the identity abandoned as a girl and sets off to meet the owner of Winterton Hall where her mother, Helen Corndon, nee Morville, was born.What she finds is a household at war with itself, for although her maternal uncle accepts her claim to kinship, others with a vested interest in the family estate view her with suspicion, and any mention of her lost brother, as a threat. Amongst which is a titled gentleman that claims a prior acquaintance, and a hawk-eyed lady in black, met in different circumstances, who presents Maria with a dilemma.Dare she accept the invitation which will take her back to the source of her troubles? Will it free her of the memories that haunt her? What shadowy secrets will the unasked question reveal, and how will they affect her links with Linmore? Knowing she cannot refuse, Maria prepares to confront the demons of her past. Only then can she consider the future…A heart-felt story about a journey littered with pitfalls, in which friendship and support come from unlikely places... less