Book Spotlight: Annie’s Secret by Marcia Clayton

 

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:

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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

 

 

Book Spotlight and Snippet: Millie’s Escape by Marcia Clayton

 1885 North Devon, England

It is winter in the small Devon village of Brampford Speke, and a typhoid epidemic has claimed many victims. Millie, aged fifteen, is doing her best to nurse her mother and grandmother as well as look after Jonathan, her five-year-old brother. One morning, Millie is horrified to find that her mother, Rosemary, has passed away during the night and is terrified the same fate may befall her granny, Emily.

 

When Emily’s neighbours inform her that Sir Edgar Grantley has also perished from the deadly disease, the old woman is distraught, for the kindly gentleman has been their benefactor for many years, much to the disgust of his wife, Lilliana. Emily is well aware that Sir Edgar’s generosity has long been a bone of contention between him and his spouse, and she is certain Lady Grantley will evict them from their cottage at the first opportunity.

 

As she racks her brain for a solution, Emily remembers her father came from Hartford, a seaside village in North Devon and had relatives there. Desperate and too weak to travel, she insists Millie and Jonathan leave home and make their way to Hartford before the embittered woman can cause trouble for them. There, she tells them, they must throw themselves on the mercy of their family and hope they will offer them a home.

 

With Emily promising to follow as soon as possible, the two youngsters reluctantly set off on their fifty-mile journey on foot and in the harshest of weather conditions. Emily warns them to be cautious, for she suspects Lady Grantley may well pursue them to seek revenge for a situation that has existed between the two families for many years.

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Snippet

They left the gloomy building with Sam carrying Paul snugly wrapped in a warm blanket and Robert carrying Martin. Neither child weighed much, for they were so thin. The two girls pulled their blankets around them as Dodger climbed down and lifted them into the relative warmth of the carriage.  Between them, Robert and Dodger lifted Marrok into the carriage, making him as comfortable as possible on one seat with his broken leg stretched out before him. Sam held Paul on his knee, and the other three children squashed into the seat beside him.

There was a slightly awkward silence in the carriage as Sam and Marrok tried hard to think of something to say. Then Sam remembered something that Annie had thrust into his hands at the last minute, and he reached under the seat and retrieved a tin.

“I was wondering if any of you might be hungry?”

The children stared at him with renewed interest, and the old man beamed at them.

“Ah, I thought that might get your attention, and I’m pleased to tell you that I have six pasties in here, all baked by Maisie, the cook at Hartford Manor. They might still be warm if we’re lucky, for they were fresh out of the oven. Would anybody like one?”

Sam lifted the lid, and immediately, a mouth-watering aroma assailed the nostrils of the starving inmates of the carriage. The ice was broken as the children took a pasty each and ate them hungrily.

“I think they’re enjoying them; what about you, son? Have you got room for a pasty?”

Marrok grinned widely at his father, reached for a pasty, and eagerly took a massive bite.

“You have no idea how delicious this tastes … Dad …” He hesitated as he spoke.

“Ah, but I have, lad. I’ve spent more years of my life being hungry than not, but hopefully, those days are behind us now.”

Marcia Clayton is the author of five books in The Hartford Manor Series, a heart-warming family saga stretching from the Regency period to Victorian times. A sixth book is to be released in 2024.

Marcia was born in North Devon, a rural and picturesque area in the far South West of England. When she left school, Marcia worked in a bank for several years until she married her husband, Bryan, and then stayed at home for a few years to care for her three sons, Stuart, Paul and David. As the children grew older, Marcia worked as a Marie Curie nurse caring for the terminally ill and later for the local authority managing school transport.

Now a grandmother, Marcia enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She’s a keen researcher of family history, and this hobby inspired some of the characters in her books. A keen gardener, Marcia grows many of her own vegetables. She is also an avid reader and enjoys historical fiction, romance, and crime books.

Author Links:

 

Website: https://marciaclayton.co.uk/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/MarciaC89111861

Facebook:  Marcia Clayton - Author | Facebook

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marciaclayton97/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/marciaclayton.bsky.social

Book Bub:  Bookbub: Marcia Clayton

Amazon Author Page: Amazon: Marcia Clayton

Goodreads: Marcia Clayton: Goodreads

Allauthor:   https://allauthor.com/author/marciaclayton/

 

 

Book Spotlight and Excerpt: Betsey - The Hartford Manor Series by Marcia Clayton

 

Follow the tour HERE

Set in 1820, Betsey is the prequel to the much-loved Hartford Manor Series.

Betsey, a sadly neglected child, is shouldering responsibilities far beyond her years. As she does her best to care for her little brother, Norman, she is befriended by Gypsy Freda, an old woman whose family is camped nearby. Freda's granddaughter, Jane, is also fond of the little girl and is concerned about her.

Thomas, the second son of Lord Fellwood, happens across the gypsy camp and becomes besotted with Jane. However, Jasper Morris, the local miller, also has designs on the young gypsy, and inevitably, the two men do not see eye to eye.

Betsey is drawn into their rivalry for the attention of the beautiful young woman, and she finds herself promising to keep a dangerous secret for many years to come.

 Buy Links:

 This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited

 Universal Link

All the books in The Hartford Manor Series can be ordered from any bookshop.

  .•*´¨)✯ ¸.•*¨) ✮ ( ¸.•´✶

 EXCERPT

Back at the gypsy camp, Betsey was happily tucking into a hearty bowl of rabbit stew. It was too hot to eat, and the little girl could barely wait for it to cool; so hungry was she. In the meantime, she contented herself with dipping the thick crust of bread into the delicious gravy and blowing on it to cool it before she could put it to her lips. Gypsy Freda watched her thoughtfully.

"Is everything all right at home, Betsey? I know you lost your mother, so it can't be easy. Is your father looking after you?"

"Well, I miss my mum, and Dad has to work, so me and Norman are on our own a lot since Barney got a job at the mill. We're both going to school now because Mr Billery said Norman could go, even though he's only three. He gives us milk and some dinner, so that's good. It's just after school, and at the weekends, when we haven't got much to eat."

"Doesn't Mrs Carter from The Red Lion keep an eye on you? I thought she was friendly with your mother?"

"Aunty Kezzie is kind and she would like to look after us, but she fell out with Dad a week or two ago, and he told her not to come to our house anymore. I miss her because she came in every day and hugged us too. Dad never cuddles us anymore. I cuddle Norman to sleep and sing to him like Mum did because he likes that."

"Have you finished your stew?"

"Aw, yes, thank you; it was lovely. I've warmed up now, but I must get home to Norman; he doesn't like being on his own and he's hungry too."

"Well, I think Jane’s looking for a pot for you to carry some stew home for him, so while she does that, why don't you come over here and sit on my lap and I'll tell you a story? Would you like that?"

Betsey nodded, the unexpected kindness bringing tears to her eyes. She climbed onto the old woman's lap and was soon encircled by a warm embrace and covered with a cosy blanket. She rested her head against the gypsy's bony chest and relaxed, delighted to be treated as a child for once. Ten minutes or so later, Jane reappeared at the entrance of the wagon and smiled when she saw Betsey snuggled up cosily on her granny's lap.

"My goodness, Betsey, you do look comfortable; that was my favourite spot when I was little; has she been telling you the story about the barn owls?"

Betsey nodded. "I must get home to Norman, though."

"Yes, of course, you must; now here’s some stew for Norman; I've put it into this old jar so you'll have to be careful not to spill it. It's hot so be careful not to burn yourself, but it will soon cool in this weather, and there's some more bread for both of you. Do you think you can carry it all right?"

The little girl nodded. "Thanks ever so much, Jane; the jar will keep my hands warm. I feel much better now, and I loved hearing your story, Gypsy Freda."

"Aye, I thought you would. I'll tell you what, when the weather's a bit better, bring that little brother of yours; I've got two knees, so there's room for one more on the other one, and I know plenty of stories. See you next time."

Betsey hurried home as fast as she could without spilling the precious stew. She let herself in through the back door and called out to her brother. He was hunched in front of the fire and delighted to see her.

"Are you all right, Norman?"

The little boy nodded, gazing intently at the container in her hands, as a delicious smell reached his nostrils. "Is that some food for us, Betsey?"

"No, this is all for you, Norman. I wonder if you can eat it all up?"

Marcia Clayton 

Marcia Clayton was born in North Devon, a rural and picturesque area in the far South West of England. She is a farmer's daughter and often helped to milk the cows and clean out the shippens in her younger days.

When Marcia left school she worked in a bank for several years until she married her husband, Bryan, and then stayed at home for a few years to take care of her three sons, Stuart, Paul and David. As the children grew older, Marcia worked as a Marie Curie nurse caring for the terminally ill, and later for the local authority managing school transport.

Now a grandmother, Marcia enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She’s a keen researcher of family history, and it was this hobby that inspired some of the characters in her books. A keen gardener, Marcia grows many of her own vegetables. She is also an avid reader and mainly enjoys historical fiction, romance, and crime books.

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