Shakespeare's Mistress
3 total works
A gripping historical thriller set in Tudor England during the reign of Elizabeth I.
Lady-in-waiting Lucy Morgan is once again torn between her dangerous attraction to William Shakespeare and her fierce loyalty to Queen Elizabeth I.
But England is facing its gravest threat yet. The Spanish have declared war, and Elizabeth finds herself attacked by sea – and by Catholic conspiracy from within her own court. Master Goodluck goes undercover, tasked with discovering the identity of this secret assassin, leaving his ward Lucy not knowing if the spy is alive or dead.
Meanwhile Queen Elizabeth is growing old in a court of troublesome young noblemen, while Lucy is struggling to love a man whose duties lie elsewhere.
When the final challenge comes, these two women must be ready to face it. But there is one last surprise in store for both of them …
London, 1583.
When young, aspiring playwright William Shakespeare encounters Lucy Morgan, one of Queen Elizabeth I’s ladies-in-waiting, the two fall passionately in love. He declares Lucy the inspiration for his work, but what secret is Will hiding from his muse?
Meanwhile, Lucy has her own secret – and one that could destroy her world if exposed. No longer the chaste maid so valued by the Virgin Queen, she also bore witness to the clandestine wedding of Lettice Knollys and Robert Dudley, a match forbidden by the monarch.
England is in peril. Queen Elizabeth’s health is deteriorating, her throne under siege from Catholic plotters and threats of war with Spain. Faced with deciding the fate of her long-term prisoner, Mary, Queen of Scots, she needs a trusted circle of advisors around her now more than ever. But who can she turn to when those closest to her have proved disloyal?
And how secure is Lucy’s position at court, now that she has learned the dangerous art of keeping secrets?
Desire and power collide in the court of Elizabeth I
Warwickshire, 1575
Pomp, fanfare and a wealth of lavish festivities await Elizabeth I at Kenilworth Castle. Organised by the Earl of Leicester, he knows this celebration is his last chance to persuade the Queen to marry him. But, a fickle man, he is unable to resist the seductive wiles of Lettice Knollys.
Enraged by the couple’s growing intimacy, Elizabeth employs a young black singer and court entertainer to keep a watch on them. Brought up by a spy, Lucy’s observational skills are sharper than anyone at the castle realises, and she soon uncovers far more than she bargained for: Someone at Kenilworth is plotting to kill the queen.
Can the knowledge Lucy is gaining prevent the death of the monarch? Or has it put Lucy in mortal danger instead?