Louis the Well-Beloved (51 page)

Jean Plaidy

The ageing Catherine de’ Medici has arranged the marriage of her beautiful Catholic daughter, Margot, to the uncouth Huguenot King Henry of Navarre. Margot, still desperately in love with Henry de Guise, refuses to utter her vows. But even Catherine is unable to anticipate the carnage that this unholy union is to bring about . . .

In the midst of an August heatwave, tensions run high between the Catholic Parisians and the Huguenot wedding guests: Margot’s marriage to Henry has not resulted in the peace that King Charles longed for. Realising her weakening power over her sickly son, Catherine sets about persuading Charles of a Huguenot plot against his life. Overcome by fear, he agrees to a massacre that will rid France of its ‘pestilential Huguenots for ever’. And so the carnival of butchery begins, marking years of terror and upheaval that will end in the demise of kings, and finally expose Catherine’s lifetime of depraved scheming . . .

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THE PLANTAGENET SERIES

The Plantagenet Prelude

When William X dies, the duchy of Aquitaine is left to his fifteen-year-old daughter, Eleanor. On his death-bed William promised her hand in marriage to the future King of France. Eleanor is determined to rule Aquitaine using her husband’s power as King of France and, in the years to follow, she is to become one of history’s most scandalous queens.

The Revolt of the Eaglets

Henry Plantagenet bestrode the throne of England like an ageing eagle perching dangerously in the evening of his life. While his sons intrigue against him and each other, Henry’s conscience leads him to make foolish political decisions. The old eagle is under constant attack from three of the eaglets he has nurtured, and a fourth waits in the wings for the moment of utter defeat to pluck out his eyes . . .

The Heart of the Lion

At the age of thirty-two, Richard the Lionheart has finally succeeded Henry II to the English throne. Now he must fulfil his vow to his country to win back Jerusalem for the Christian world. Leaving England to begin his crusade, Richard’s kingdom is left in the hands of his brother, John, who casts covetous eyes on the crown.

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Uneasy Lies the Head

Jean Plaidy

In the aftermath of the bloody Wars of the Roses, Henry Tudor has seized the English crown, finally uniting the warring Houses of York and Lancaster through his marriage to Elizabeth of York.

But whilst Henry VII rules wisely and justly, he is haunted by Elizabeth’s missing brothers; the infamous two Princes, their fate in the Tower for ever a shrouded secret. Then tragedy strikes at the heart of Henry’s family, and it is against his own son that the widowed King must fight for a bride and his throne . . .

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Katharine, the Virgin Widow

Jean Plaidy

The young Spanish widow, Katharine of Aragon, has become the pawn between two powerful monarchies. After less than a year as the wife of the frail Prince Arthur, the question of whether the marriage was ever consummated will decide both her fate and England’s.

But whilst England and Spain dispute her dowry, in the wings awaits her unexpected escape from poverty: Henry, Arthur’s younger, more handsome brother – the future King of England. He alone has the power to restore her position, but at what sacrifice?

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The Shadow of the
Pomegranate

Jean Plaidy

Whilst the young King Henry VIII basks in the pageants and games of his glittering court, his doting queen’s health and fortunes fade. Henry’s affection for his older wife soon strays, and the neglected Katharine decides to use her power as queen to dangerous foreign advantage.

Overseas battles play on Henry’s volatile temper, and his defeat in France has changed the good-natured boy Katharine loved into an infamously callous ruler. With no legitimate heir yet born, Katharine once again begins to fear for her future . . .

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The King’s Secret Matter

Jean Plaidy

After twelve years of marriage, the once fortuitous union of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon has declined into a loveless stalemate. Their only child, Mary, is disregarded as a suitable heir, and Henry’s need for a legitimate son to protect the Tudor throne has turned him into a callous and greatly feared ruler.

When the young and intriguing Anne Boleyn arrives from the French court, Henry is easily captivated by her dark beauty and bold spirit. But his desire to possess the wily girl leads to a deadly struggle of power that promises to tear apart the lives of Katharine and Mary, and forever change England’s faith . . .