THE HIGHCLOUGH LADY

The threat of snow this week has reminded me again of this book, written for Robert Hale Ltd in 2004. It is set in the area of the Pennines where I live, and I based the title on the old English word "clough" (pronounced "cluff").  It is still used here in the north for a ravine, or a steep sided valley.  The Highclough Lady has just been released as an e-book by Regency Reads, so it is now available to a much wider audience.

 

 

THE HIGHCLOUGH LADY

Governess Verity Shore longs for a little adventure, then Rafe Bannerman arrives to carry her off to Highclough and Verity discovers that life can be a little too exciting! An estate the edge of the wild Yorkshire Moors, Highclough is Verity's inheritance, but she soon discovers that the land is coveted not only by her handsome cousin Luke but also by Rafe Bannerman and soon her very life is in danger…..

A lively tale of intrigue and romance in the turbulent final years of the eighteenth century

I used my own experiences of walking the children home from school along a dark, icy lane with the snow whipping into our faces as inspiration for Verity's journey to her new home, and the local architecture was the inspiration for artist David Young's beautiful cover for the original publication by Robert Hale, pictured here on the right..




I am currently in the process of setting up a new blog for my Sarah Mallory and Melinda Hammond books, where you can find lots of background information  and also extracts from my books, inlcuding one from The Highclough Lady. Please feel free to visit the site and poke around, like in a box of curiosities you might find in an attic.

http://onebellesstrategem.blogspot.co.uk/


Melinda Hammond