Disguised as a boy, gentlewoman and widow Bess Stoughton flees her father’s house to at worst procrastinate and at best avoid marriage to an ancient, grimy neighbour. Nearing the end of her hazardous journey she meets the gruff Edmund Wyard. Bess has a year to get herself a husband whom her father will approve.
She and Edmund fall in love, but while he’s eminently eligible as far as Dad is concerned, his mother has very different views. The plight of the lovers is drawn out and at one stage it appears all is lost. Bess’s darkest moments are pretty horrific indeed. But perhaps there is light at the dungeon door?
I liked the characters of Bess and Edmund, the 16th century settings are very well portrayed, and the story is pacy, the plot with enough twists and turns to keep the reader hooked. However, like Bess herself, I did wonder why Edmund simply didn’t tell his harridan mother to butt out. He wasn’t even dependent on her for his inheritance. It’s things like this which make a plot a little less compelling for me – I need good motives! Nevertheless, an entertaining read.
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