Virgin Widow. Anne O'Brien

in Widow

      Anne O’Brien

      All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.

      All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II B.V./S.à.r.l . The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

      This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

      HQ is an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd

      Published in Great Britain 2010.

       HQ

       1 London Bridge Street

       London

       SE1 9GF

      ©Anne O’Brien 2010

      ISBN 978-1-4089-2795-3

       Version: 2019-04-12

      About the Author

      ANNE O’BRIEN taught history in the East Riding of Yorkshire before deciding to fulfil an ambition to write historical fiction. She now lives in an eighteenth-century timbered cottage with her husband in the Welsh Marches, a wild, beautiful place renowned for its black-and-white timbered houses, ruined castles and priories and magnificent churches. Steeped in history, famous people and bloody deeds, as well as ghosts and folklore, the Marches provide inspiration for her interest in medieval England.

      Visit her at www.anneobrienbooks.com

      Table of Contents

       Cover

       Title Page

       Copyright

       About the Author

       Dedication

       Acknowledgements

       Epigraph

      House of York

       Chapter One

       Chapter Two

       Chapter Three

       Chapter Four

       Chapter Five

       Chapter Six

       Chapter Seven

       Chapter Eight

       Chapter Nine

       Chapter Ten

       Chapter Eleven

       Chapter Twelve

       Chapter Thirteen

       Chapter Fourteen

       Chapter Fifteen

       Chapter Sixteen

       Chapter Seventeen

       Chapter Eighteen

       Chapter Nineteen

       Chapter Twenty

       Chapter Twenty-One

      Epilogue

       Other titles by the author

       Extract

       Author Note

      For my husband, George. In gratitude for his enduring support and his faith in me and Anne Neville.

      Acknowledgements

      With thanks to Jane Judd, my agent, whose belief in Virgin Widow was sometimes greater than mine. And to Maddie West and all at HQ. Their enthusiasm has been beyond price.

      “Was ever woman in this humour wooed?"

      William Shakespeare, Richard III

      House of York

      Chapter One

      April 1469—on board