The Scandalous Duchess

The Scandalous Duchess

Anne O'Brien

Language: English

Pages: 332

ISBN: 1848452985

Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub


1372, The Savoy. Widow Lady Katherine Swynford presents herself for a role in the household of merciless royal prince John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, hoping to end her destitution. But the Duke’s scandalous proposition leaves her life of pious integrity reeling... Seduced by the glare of royal adoration, Katherine becomes John’s mistress. She will leave behind everything she has stood for to play second fiddle to his young wife and ruthless ambition. She will live in the shadows of the most powerful man in England in the hope of a love greater than propriety. But soon the court whispers – whore, harlot, vile temptress – reach the ears of not just John’s bride but his most dangerous political enemies. As the Plantagenet prince is accused of bringing England to its knees, who better to blame than shameless she-devil Katherine Swynford? Dragged from the shadows, Katherine must answer for her sins.

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Briefly, for it was not a time of rejoicing, even though I kept his words in my mind. Remember this: where I am, there you will be also. They comforted me when nothing else could. Then began the list of marriages and of births, of the achievements of my own children as they grew and made their mark on the world. Of my dear Philippa of Lancaster’s marriage to King Joao of Portugal in the magnificence of Oporto Cathedral, to cement an alliance. I had rejoiced over the birth of a healthy son at.

Rose has fallen into pieces,’ I said, seeing it on the coffer with my rosary. ‘It is a transient thing. But my desire for you is not.’ He tucked the tell-tale gold of my veil into the neck of the cloak. ‘Do you have regrets?’ ‘None.’ ‘Nor I. You are of my Life and Death the Queen…’ I sighed as I recognised the beautiful sentiment, the expression of utmost poetic devotion from the Lover to his Lady. ‘Your brother-in-law, Master Chaucer, has a masterful way with words.’ The Duke kissed me as.

Damsels and push hard when instructed to do so, but since Mistress Elyot had the reputation of a wise-woman, and her nature was well-known to me, I did not argue the point. Mistress Elyot had supported Blanche through her pregnancies so her reputation was well-earned and perhaps she was right. The weather was June-sultry, the rooms at Hertford uncomfortably hot, but Constanza insisted on the windows tight shut to ward off malign forces, since she was Queen of Castile and that is how all royal.

The game by the Queen, but to the Duke himself. The frivolity of the courtly silliness had been abandoned, yet the Duke’s face did not change from its amiable, well-mannered courtesy, although I could sense his anger at such an impertinent question. Lady Alice clicked her tongue against her teeth. The chaplain grunted over his wine. ‘That also is true,’ John replied, parrying with skill what was an obvious attack. ‘And the King will answer it since the Queen sees fit to ask.’ A clever return to.

Her as the sister of the ducal whore. I wished Philippa well. She would be far happier at Tutbury or Hertford—or anywhere the Duchess chose to live apart from the Duke—than at Kettlethorpe. Their estrangement continued, meeting only for ceremonial and family purposes. Yet I was not lonely for female companionship, for I had the other Philippa, the Duke’s lovely daughter now grown to adulthood, for company. Usually a confident young woman, self-possessed behind the facade of her striking.

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