The Elizabethans

The Elizabethans, a tale of the relief to have a new Queen, Elizabeth, after the years of brutality under her sister Mary.

It is a tale of four brothers, Malcolm, Michael, James and John. Their father, Lord Melford, was happy with the old manor house and wasn't one to spend unnecessarily. Malcolm, his heir, felt the same.

Michael had few prospects, but there were three things he really, really wanted. The first was Lady Christine. He had seen her at the celebrations for the coronation of the new Queen and had fallen in love with her. But Christine was the daughter of a duke, way above Michael in the social scale. He is only a viscount, the second son of an earl.

The other things he wants really badly are a beautiful horse he has seen for sale and cannot afford. His father says they have horses enough and no need of another one.

Michael would really like to build a new house in the shape of an E, as was the fashion since Elizabeth came to the throne.

Alas, it seems unlikely he will ever be granted any of his three wishes. Until one night there was an accident that changed Michael's life forever. Both his father and elder brother were killed and Michael was suddenly the Earl of Melford.

He should be devastated at the loss of his father and brother, but he can't help feeling pleased. His first action as Earl is to ride to the Duke's estate and hope his daughter has not already been promised elsewhere.

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Lord Michael Melford had never known jealousy until he married Lady Christine. She had a friend before he came along, an unsuitable young man her father wanted out of her life.

He didn't really believe Christine when she told him that Edmund Carstairs was just a friend. He suddenly found he was capable of jealousy and he didn't like it.

But Edmund was not so easily dismissed and when Michael follows Christine from London to their country estate, he finds his wife in the arms of Edmund Carstairs.

That jealousy threatens to destroy his life. He will not listen, calls her a whore and leaves.

He thinks he knows the truth and he can never forgive her. But she is wondering if she can ever forgive him.

The Earl's Jealousy is available in Kindle or Paperback. Click here to buy or borrow through Kindle Unlimited.

The second book is about James. He is the second brother and he has a wife called Helen and two sons.

He is very possessive of Helen. He barely lets her out of his sight, but she doesn't really mind. She has her own way of getting what she wants.

There is but one day in the month when James lets her go off on her own to visit her father. He does this for selfish reasons as he cannot stand her father.

That one day out means everything to Helen, but not because she is out of James' control and seeing her father, whom she also hates. It is because she has someone else to visit, someone more precious than either James or even her sons. 

When both James and her father discover her secret, her world crumbles and she finds herself without family, without a home.

The Viscount's Divorce is available in Kindle or Paperback Click here to buy or borrow through Kindle Unlimited

Lord John's Folly, number 3 in the Elizabethans trilogy. 

John is the youngest brother and as such has nothing, no land, no income. He must depend entirely on his brother's generosity or go off and make a name for himself, earn favour with the Queen.

While Michael gives him employment he doesn't really need, wanting to protect him, John doesn't want to rely on him forever. 

There are uprisings all over the north of England, rebel Catholics wanting to put Mary of Scots on the English throne. John has earned favour by leading an army to put down one of these rebellions and in return the Queen has given him a title and estate.

All he needs now is a bride and he asks his brother to find him someone suitable.

But while he is getting ready at the palace to leave for his new estate, he has a visitor. Geraldine, his brother Malcolm's betrothed, has some letters for him.

They are letters from a peasant woman named Heather, letters Geraldine found among Malcolm's papers after his death. It seems that Heather was Malcolm's mistress and he left her with twin sons to care for.

Now John must find Heather and his nephews before he can claim his property. When he does, he realises at once what the attraction was, but in the meantime, Michael has found him a bride of royal lineage. To refuse such a bride would be a direct insult to the Queen; to refuse her in favour of a peasant would be treason.

Lord John's Folly is available in Paperback and Kindle versions. Click here to buy or borrow through Kindle Unlimited.

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Copyright 2022 by Margaret Brazear