The Kershaw Sisters seri
6 total works
Anna Jacobs's new Lancashire saga tells the story of the last of the Kershaw sisters - the unexpected Mary Ann. Mary Ann is illegitimate and life in 1905 is hard. It rapidly becomes worse when her new stepfather begins to interfere with her. Sent away at fifteen to bear his child she meets Gabriel Clough, who helps her escape to Blackpool after the birth. The Great War brings Mary Ann many new opportunities, and brings Gabriel back into her life. But circumstances mean they can never be together. It is not until her mother dies that Mary Ann returns to Lancashire, determined to uncover the secrets of her past. Then danger threatens both her and the child she thought she'd lost forever...Will history repeat itself or will Mary Ann's courage win her the happiness she deserves?
Keara Michaels doesn't want to leave her family in Ireland, but fate sends her first to Lancashire, then across the sea to Australia, pregnant and penniless. And Theo Mullane, the man who loves her, is married, with an ailing baby son, so cannot follow her as he longs to. Mark Gibson leaves Lancashire to avoid marriage. But gold prospecting is a dangerous pursuit, and when his gentle young wife dies in childbirth, his father-in-law kidnaps the baby. So Mark runs away again, this time to Western Australia, where he employs Keara in his country inn. But danger threatens them all, even in the bush, as Keara searches for her lost sisters, Theo comes looking for the woman he loves, and Mark at last confronts his past.
Little Billy is the light of Lizzie's life, and it's for his sake that she puts up with an unkind mother-in-law and a desolate farm. But when Billy is knocked over by a car and his father is killed in the subsequent rescue attempt, Lizzie must battle with Dr Browning Baker to keep hold of him.
Recently widowed, Hannah Firth is still young - young enough to dream of a new life. When her spiteful daughter-in-law uses her as an unpaid servant, Hannah tries to leave, but she is unaware of the depths that Patty's spite will lead her to. Nathaniel King's life is ruined when his landlord's son lays waste to his market garden for a prank - and the resulting feud puts Nathaniel's livelihood at stake. Hannah has only a few coins and dreams of a happier future to sustain her as she tramps the roads and evades pursuit. When she meets Nathaniel, the attraction between them cannot be denied and they join forces. But their enemies have money and powerful allies on their side and will stop at nothing to get rid of them.
Eva Kershaw thought she would never marry, and is happy living a quiet life with her dear friend Alice. But Alice is ill, and her nephew has thrust himself into their household. Alice's dearest wish is that Eva should not make the same mistakes she did, and she alters her will so that Eva and Gus are strongly compelled to marry. Eva obliges to fulfil her dead friend's wishes. But Gus is not all he seems to be and Eva is in terrible danger...
In 1863 the authorities send Irish orphans Ismay and Mara to Australia against their will. Worse, on arrival they're separated from one another. While Ismay is forced to take a job as a maid miles away in the country, Mara must stay in the care of the Catholic mission.
Desperate to be reunited, Ismay waits her moment then flees her employers to look for her sister but she runs into danger out in the bush. She is saved by Malachi Firth, but although he's attracted to her, he doesn't want to be encumbered with a wife.
In addition, Mara has also run away and though she finds shelter it is in a place with its own perils.
Meanwhile, their elder sister Keara has not forgotten them. However, she has had her own struggles to face and by the time she reaches Melbourne she finds that the trail is cold.
Danger continues to threaten all three sisters as their desperate search takes them from one side of Australia to the other. Will they find one another again or will their old enemies triumph