1887, North Devon, England
When Lady Eleanor Fellwood gave birth to a badly
deformed baby, she insisted that the child be adopted as far away as possible.
However, that proved difficult to accomplish, and so, in return for payment,
Sabina Carter, an impoverished widow living locally, agreed to raise the little
boy as a foundling. The child’s father, Lord Charles Fellwood of Hartford
Manor, warned Sabina that the matter must be treated in the strictest
confidence or her family would be evicted from their home. As far as Lady
Eleanor was concerned, the child was being cared for miles away.
All was well for several years until fate
took a hand and, against his parents’ wishes, Robert Fellwood, the heir to the
Hartford Estate, married Sabina’s daughter, Annie. Robert arranged for his
mother-in-law, Sabina, and her family to reside in the Lodge House, situated at
the end of the Manor House driveway. A house that Lady Eleanor passed
regularly, and it was not long before she spotted Danny’s dark curls among the
Carter redheads. As she looked into the child’s eyes and noted his disabilities,
she recognised her son.
Now, at seven years old, Danny has had
numerous operations to correct his disabilities and is a happy, healthy child.
However, his presence is a source of constant anguish for his birth mother as,
day after day, she watches him play in the garden. Her husband, Charles, and
son, Robert, are aghast when she announces that she wants him back! An
impossible situation for all concerned, and a rift develops between Robert and
Annie as he struggles to find a solution to suit everyone.
Over the years, Lady Eleanor has
steadfastly refused to acknowledge her daughter-in-law, for she disapproves of
Annie’s lower-class origins. When a freak accident forces the two women to
spend time together, they inevitably find themselves drawn into conversation,
and before long, the years of pent-up resentment and family secrets surface as
home truths are aired.
Will the two women be rescued from their
precarious situation unscathed? And, if so, will the family survive the scandal
that is about to be unleashed?
Buy Links:
The Hartford Manor Series Links:
Prequel - Betsey http://mybook.to/Betsey
Book 1 -The Mazzard Tree http://mybook.to/TheMazzardTree
Book 2 - The Angel Maker http://mybook.to/TheAngelMaker
Book 3 - The Rabbit’s Foot http://mybook.to/TheRabbitsFoot
Book 4 - Millie’s Escape https://mybook.to/MilliesEscape
Book 5 - A Woman Scorned https://mybook.to/AWomanScorned
Book 6 - Annie’s Secret https://mybook.to/AnniesSecret
All books in The Hartford Manor Series are
available to read on #KindleUnlimited, and print copies can be ordered from any
bookshop.
Marcia Clayton writes
historical fiction with a sprinkling of romance and mystery in a heartwarming
family saga that spans the Regency period through Victorian times.
As a child, Marcia
often had to amuse herself as her siblings were several years older than her,
and her arrival was something of a shock to her middle-aged parents. Her
favourite pastimes were writing stories and reading, and she adored the Enid
Blyton books, particularly The Famous Five and The Adventure Series. These
books established her love of literature, which has remained with her to this
day.
A farmer’s daughter,
Marcia, was born in North Devon and is proud to be a Devon Maid. Over the
years, she has been employed in various occupations, primarily to work around
raising her three sons, Stuart, Paul, and David. She has worked in banking and
nursing and, for many years, was the School Transport Manager for the local
authority. Now retired, Marcia spends a lot of her time writing historical
fiction but also enjoys gardening, researching her family history, and walking
in the lovely Devon countryside with Bryan, her husband of fifty-three years.
Marcia has written seven books in the historical
family saga, The Hartford Manor Series. You can also read her free short
story, Amelia, a spin-off tale from the first book, The Mazzard Tree.
Amelia, a little orphan girl of 4, is abandoned in Victorian London with her
brothers, Joseph and Matthew. To find out what happens to her, download the
story here: https://marciaclayton.co.uk/amelia-free-download/
In addition to writing books, Marcia writes blogs
about a variety of subjects and a monthly newsletter, which she shares with her
readers. If you would like to join Marcia’s mailing list, please subscribe to
her website, The Devon Maid Book Corner: https://marciaclayton.co.uk/
Author Links:
Website: https://marciaclayton.co.uk/
Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/MarciaC89111861
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marciaclaytonauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marciaclayton97/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/marciaclayton.bsky.social
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/marcia-clayton
Amazon Author Page: http://viewauthor.at/MarciaClayton
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20429025.Marcia_Clayton
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