The Winter Mantle
With a practiced hand, Chadwick spins an irresistible historical romp that spans two generations. In 1067, William the Conqueror has successfully crushed the English at the Battle of Hastings. Compelling an array of British nobles to accompany him back to Normandy as his enforced guests, he unwittingly sets into motion a series of events that will ultimately lead to passion and betrayal. When Lady Judith, William's niece, catches the eye of Waltheof Siwardsson, earl of Huntingdon, he vows to make her his bride. Equally taken with the robust earl, Judith wages a private war between self-preservation and lust. Eventually convincing William to allow them to wed, Waltheof pledges his allegiance to the Norman king. Finding his pledge increasingly difficult to honor, he becomes involved in an ill-fated rebellion against Norman rule, a decision that has profound consequences for the futures of both his wife and his daughter. History, romance, and suspense are interwoven in a heartrending tale of love and loss on an appropriately grand scale.Margaret FlanaganCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved