“I didn’t know him,” she said in an effort to explain her lack of outward emotion. “I was born in Oxford three years before my father was sent to the Tower to await trial. Five months after that, he was sentenced to exile on Holy Island; Northumbria was too far away for my mother to travel with an infant and her two siblings.”
Grove sipped his tea, showing no sign of impatience that she was repeating things he likely already knew.
“Henry Marten never set eyes on me again until five years later when he was moved to a cell in Windsor Castle. It was closer to Oxford and my mother bribed a guard to allow a short visit—of which I have no memory.
“Three years later, King Charles II decided Windsor was too close to his own living quarters for comfort. My father was moved to Chepstow Castle.”
“And your mother went to live with him in his apartments there.”
She smiled at the cleric. “You’re an unusual priest. You’ve never once uttered a word of condemnation about my parents’ adulterous relationship.”
Grove shrugged. “Let he who is without sin…When you look back, don’t you admire their commitment to each other, despite the difficulties they faced?”
Sarah scoffed. “My father was unhappily wed to someone else. An adulterer as well as a traitor. But their commitment, as you call it, is the only way to explain why my mother abandoned us when she moved to Chepstow.”
“Well, she had no income, and three little girls to provide for. Perhaps she thought she was doing the right thing, leaving you in the care of Mrs. Flamsteed.”
Sarah nestled her hands around the warm cup and stared at the bits of camomile floating in the tea, remembering. “Peggy and Henrietta were placed in service to two noble households. I was young enough to be sent to the Blue Coat School in Greenwich.”
“Ah, yes. A marvelous endeavor founded by Mrs. Flamsteed for girls whose families had fallen on hard times,” Grove enthused. “If only there were more kind-hearted souls in the world like her.”
“I suppose a life sentence for treason qualified as hard times,” Sarah retorted.
“Now, now,” he chided. “At school you learned about God and were encouraged to have a great horror of vice and a great love of virtue.”
“The irony of that strikes me now I’m an adult,” she confessed. “Though I didn’t know the full gravity of my parents’ sins at the time.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes, until Grove finished his tea. “You haven’t asked about your mother.”
A chill crept up Sarah’s nape. “No.”
“The monks report she has nowhere to live. She’s destitute.”
Sarah almost laughed at the irony. Freed at last from her husband’s brutality, surely she wouldn’t be expected to provide for a woman who’d abandoned her. “As you see, I don’t really have anywhere…”
“It’s your duty, Sarah,” he replied. “The Priory will allow her to stay for a short while, until you can fetch her.”
Indignation stiffened her spine. “I can’t go off to Wales. I have to find an apprentice and get the shop re-opened. People need medicinals.”
Grove reached across and patted her hand. “Nevertheless. The coach for Gloucester leaves from The Swan on the morrow.”
About Anna
Thank you for reading Highland Jewel. If you’d like to leave a review where you purchased the book, and/or on Goodreads, I would appreciate it. Reviews contribute greatly to an author’s success.
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I was born and educated in England, but I’ve lived most of my life in Canada. I was an elementary school teacher for 25 years, a job I loved.
After that I worked with my husband in the management of his businesses. He’s a born entrepreneur who likes to boast he’s never had a job!
My final “career” was as Director of Administration of a global disaster relief organization.
I then embarked on writing a romance, something I’d always wanted to do. I chose the medieval period because it’s my favorite to read.
I have a keen interest in genealogy. This hobby has had a tremendous influence on my stories. My medieval romances are tales of family honor, ancestry, and roots. As an amateur genealogist, I cherished a dream of tracing my own English roots back to the Norman Conquest—most likely impossible since I am not descended from nobility! So I made up a family and many of my stories follow its members through successive generations.
I am a firm believer in love at first sight. My heroes and heroines may initially deny the attraction between them, but eventually the alchemy wins out. I want readers to rejoice when the power of love overcomes every obstacle and lovers find their soul mates. For me, novels are an experience of another world and time. I lose myself in the characters’ lives, always knowing they will triumph in the end and find love. One of the things I enjoy most about writing historical romance is the in-depth research necessary to provide readers with an authentic medieval experience. I love ferreting out bits of historical trivia and including them in my stories.
Escape with me to where romance began and get intimate with history.
I hope you come to know and love my cast of characters as much as I do.
Historical Footnotes
RICHARD CAMERON
Did exist. He was a leader of the militant Presbyterians, known as Covenanters, who resisted attempts by the Stuart monarchs to control the affairs of the Church of Scotland. While fighting to revive the flagging fortunes of the Covenanting cause in 1680, he was tracked down by the authorities and killed in a clash of arms at Airds Moss in Ayrshire. His head and hands were displayed on the Netherbow Gate in Edinburgh. His followers took his name as the Cameronians and ultimately formed the nucleus of the later Scottish regiment of the same name, the Cameronians. Richard did have a brother named Michael who married a woman from Edinburgh, but little else is known about him.
DAVID AXTON AND JOHN BALFORD
Modeled on David Hackston and John Balfour who were captured at Airds Moss and executed for the assassination of Archbishop Sharp. There is no record of their ever escaping from prison.
DONALD CAHILL
The name was inspired by Donald Cargill, a prominent Covenanter who in fact fled to Holland after being wounded at Bothwell Bridge. He was born in Rattray-Blairgowrie and eventually hanged at Edinburgh. His involvement in Garnet’s escape is a figment of my imagination.
CONVENTICLES
The name given to illegal religious gatherings held by Covenanters.
THE GREAT KILT
The skirt-like garment we know as a kilt wasn’t actually invented until the 18th century—by an Englishman! The great kilt was a large blanket-like piece of fabric which was wrapped around the body with the material pleated or loosely gathered and secured at the waist by means of a belt. Typically, a portion of the belted plaid hangs down to about the knees (for men) or ankles (for women) with the rest of the material being wrapped up around the upper body in a variety of ways and pinned or otherwise secured to keep it in place.
CAPTAIN BRUCE ANDREW
The commander of the dragoons who led the expedition at Airds Moss was named Andrew Bruce of Earlshall. He was known as “Bluidy Bruce.” I simply switched the names and made him more appealing!
SCOTLAND’S HONORS were indeed hidden away for many a year in Edinburgh Castle. The large locked box in which they were stored was not opened for more than 100 years, and stories circulated that they had been "lost" or removed. On 4 February 1818, Sir Walter Scott and a small team of military men opened the box, and "unearthed" the honors from the Crown Room of Edinburgh Castle.
GEORGE HERIOT
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Heriot
ghland Jewel
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