The year is 1140 and England is torn by the strife of civil war. Oliver Pascal chances upon a village raided by mercenaries and rescues the survivors: an orphaned boy, who is the illegitimate son of the old king, and his mother's maid, a young widow named Catrin. After escorting them to Bristol Castle, they are accepted into the household of Robert of Gloucester and while Catrin finds herself falling in love with Oliver she suffers a deep boredom at the frivolity of court life. Thus when the old midwife Etheldreda offers to teach her the secrets of her ancient art, Catrin agrees.

But the midwife's life is fraught with dangers, not least Oliver's own personal fears which threaten their relationship, but also in the shape of two men, both killers and both of whom threaten the couple's lives. However, Catrin is determined to pursue her career and keep Oliver and while England fights a civil war, she battles for her love and for her vocation.

* Whilst mediaeval England does battle against itself in the throes of civil war, a young midwife fights for her life in this hostile land.

About the Author
New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Chadwick lives in a cottage in the Vale of Belvoir in Nottinghamshire with her husband and their three dogs. Her first novel, The Wild Hunt, won a Betty Trask Award, To Defy a King won the Romantic Novelist Association's Historical Novel Prize and The Scarlet Lion was nominated by Richard Lee - founder of the Historical Novel Society - as one of the top ten historical novels of the last decade. She often lectures at conferences and historical venues, has been consulted for television documentaries and is a member of the Royal Historical Society. Keep in touch with Elizabeth via her website, her blogs or on social media. www.elizabethchadwick.com twitter: @chadwickauthor facebook: ElizabethChadwick

Reviews
An author who makes history come gloriously alive * THE TIMES *
One of Elizabeth Chadwick's strengths is her stunning grasp of historical detail...Her characters are beguiling and the story is intriguing and very enjoyable * BARBARA ERSKINE *
The best writer of mediaeval fiction currently around * HISTORICAL NOVEL REVIEW *
The author blends authentic period detail with a modern convention for emotional drama * MAIL ON SUNDAY *



Book Information
ISBN 9780751538113
Author Elizabeth Chadwick
Format Paperback
Page Count 480
Imprint Sphere
Publisher Little, Brown Book Group
Weight(grams) 360g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 126mm * 32mm