Beneath the Dover Sky
Read Beneath the Dover Sky Online
Authors: Murray Pura
Readers everywhere love the Danforths of Lancashire!
Praise for
Ashton Park
…
“The first installment of Pura’s The Danforths of Lancashire series introduces the inhabitants of Ashton Park, a centuries-old manor near the shores of northwest England. Tensions of the early 20th century, including WWI and unrest in Ireland and Palestine, create a backdrop for a tale rife with suspense and emotional twists as the large, extended Danforth family encounters its share of romance, human tragedy, and skullduggery. Sir William and Lady Elizabeth and their brood of independent-minded daughters and gallant sons have their honor tested, the bonds of family strained, and the goodness of God questioned. Amid trials and treachery, Pura draws poignant exhibitions of integrity, staunch lessons in forgiveness, and tender pictures of love and devotion…a most enjoyable introduction to an intriguing family saga.”
Publisher’s Weekly
“Reading
Ashton Park
. Oh my. Your best writing ever! I like the way you tie in history with it in a clear way…Is there another one after Downton, I mean
Ashton
?”
Karen Anna Vogel, author of The Amish Knitting Circle series
“Just finished reading Ashton Park…LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can’t wait for the next installment of the series.”
Carolea from Nova Scotia, Canada
“This was an amazing book! I could not put it down. It had well-developed characters, interesting storylines, and a host of well-described landscapes. The relationships between characters was complex and real not namby-pamby. I wanted to ‘see’ the castle and the ash trees. I could feel the breeze through them. This author is on the order of Jane Austen but for our time…I would highly recommend this book and hope to see it in a mini-series or movie.”
Reviewer on CBD.com
“If you love Downton Abbey you will love this book!
Ashton Park
by Murray Pura is a work of art. Set in the early part of 1900s in England during World War I, this book will take you on a grand adventure with the Danforth family…You will laugh, cry, and find yourself cheering for your favorite characters.”
Reviewer on CBD.com
If you’ve never read a book from Murray Pura, then you are in for a real treat indeed. Contrary to the stereotypes that most women write from the heart of a woman when it comes to romance novels, Murray shatters that image. Having read his other books from Amish historical romance with a twist of stories from the wars and everything in between, he truly captures what women want in their romance novels. He writes well-rounded characters often portraying the women as strong and determined, not your frail weak-willed, fall at the sight of any handsome man in the story. I believe this is what appeals to his female fans the most.
Kat (Reviewer at Amazon)
[Ashton Park] is a masterpiece for those who love to read a tale that is so lifelike. I have read a couple of novels by Murray Pura that have different time periods and characters. Never have I been disappointed to read this author’s tales. Time flies when I get engrossed in the story. My rating is 5 stars.
Lisa (Reviewer at Amazon)
Dear Mr. Pura,
Just wanted to let you know I stumbled upon
Ashton Park
in January…and I LOVE it!… It is just such an enjoyable read, and everything about the book is so well done!...Your book is the best! And I can’t WAIT for the second one!!!!!
[excerpt from a fan letter from “Cathyrn” to author Murray Pura]
HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS
EUGENE, OREGON
Most Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
Some Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version of the Bible. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Cover photos © Chris Garborg; Bigstock / elenathewise, Waynehowes
Cover by Garborg Design Works, Savage, Minnesota
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to events or locales, is entirely coincidental.
BENEATH THE DOVER SKY
Book 2 of The Danforths of Lancashire series
Copyright © 2013 by Murray Pura
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon 97402
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Pura, Murray
Beneath the Dover sky / Murray Pura.
p. cm.—(The Danforths of Lancashire ; bk. 2)
ISBN 978-0-7369-5288-0 (pbk.)
ISBN 978-0-7369-5289-7 (eBook)
1. Aristocracy (social classes)—England—History—20th century—Fiction. 2. Social classes—England—History—20th century—Fiction. 3. Lancashire (England)—Fiction. 4. Domestic fiction. I. Title.
PR9199.4.P87B46 2013
813'.6—dc23
2013001581
All rights reserved.
No part of this electronic publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any other—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The authorized purchaser has been granted a non-transferable, non-exclusive, and non-commercial right to access and view this electronic publication and agrees to do so only in accordance with the terms of use under which it was purchased or transmitted. Participation in or encouragement of piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of author’s and publisher’s rights is strictly prohibited.
For Debbie and Brian
and Larry and Karen.
Family through the blessing of marriage
Family through the blessing of Christ.
My biggest thanks go to Nick Harrison, who not only worked on this project with me but really inspired it with his love of the genre and of England. Thanks as always to the Harvest House crew who worked on the editing, marketing, book cover, etc. People like Barb Gordon, Kim Moore, Shane White, Katie Lane, and Laura Knudson. Thanks to my family who put up with the long hours of typing and word processing and creating. And thanks to my great dog Alaska, who stuck by my side when I wrote this book in our backyard last summer and fall. He was always there and made sure I never wrote alone.
Contents
William Danforth—
Lord Preston, Marquess of Preston; husband to Lady Elizabeth; father; Member of Parliament (MP); head of Ashton Park, the family estate in Lancashire, as well as Dover Sky, the family summer home in the south of England
Elizabeth Danforth—
Lady Preston; William’s wife; mother
Sir Arthur—
Lady Elizabeth’s father
Lady Grace—
Lord William’s mother
Edward Danforth—
William and Elizabeth’s eldest son
Charlotte Danforth—
Edward’s wife; former employee at Dover Sky
Owen—
their eldest son;
Colm
—their youngest son
Kipp Danforth—
William and Elizabeth’s middle son; pilot
Christelle Danforth—
Kipp’s wife; French
Matthew—
their son
Robbie Danforth—
William and Elizabeth’s youngest son; serves in British Army
Shannon Danforth—
Robbie’s wife; Irish
Patricia Claire—
their daughter
Jeremiah (Jeremy) Sweet—
Anglican clergyman, married to Emma
Emma Danforth Sweet—
William and Elizabeth’s daughter; married to Jeremy
Peter and James—
their fraternal twins;
Billy—
their youngest son
Catherine Danforth Moore—
William and Elizabeth’s daughter; widow of Albert