Click here to buy The Outcasts
It was the end of the reign of the boy King Edward VI, only son on King Henry VIII. Edward had reigned for some six years and now he was dead, at the age of only fifteen.
Because of his age, Edward had always had a Protector and that Protector, the Duke of Northumberland, wanted to not only keep England Protestant, but put his daughter-in-law, Jane Dudley (nee Grey) on the throne.
The late King Henry had made an Act of Parliament stating that if his son died without issue, the crown was to go to his daughter, Mary, then his daughter Elizabeth. Jane's claim was practically non-existent.
But Northumberland had married his son, Guildford, to Jane in anticipation of just this event and now he was trying to have her proclaimed Queen.
He was joined by Jane's own father, the Duke of Suffolk. It seemed all the men around Jane cared a lot of power, but none of them gave a second thought to her and how much danger they were putting her in.
Amid this turbulent time lives Marissa, a young Countess forced into marriage with a much older man whom she despises.
He is firmly on the side of Queen Jane, but that is not the concern at the beginning of this tale.
We accept cot death today, but in medieval times babies did not die for no reason and this Earl is convinced Marissa is responsible for the death of his baby son.
Having failed to make her confess, his next move is to try to conceive a new heir.
After a night of misery, Marissa decides to run away, but she has no real idea of how harsh the world can be for a woman alone.
She is rescued by Mark, a mysterious man who is also running from something. She doesn't ask what; she is only grateful that she has someone to count on.
Click here to buy or borrow through Kindle Unlimited.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Copyright 2022 by Margaret Brazear
New! Comments
Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.