
Set against the rugged Maryland coastline of 1644, this tale opens in the warm glow of St. Gabriel’s manor, where a mischievous young boy named Cecil plays under the watchful eyes of his mother, Elinor Calvert, and a solemn priest. Their home, perched near the remnants of the early colonial capital, becomes a micro‑cosm of the larger conflicts tearing the colony apart—Catholic and Protestant, Cavalier and Roundhead, Marylander and Virginian. As Cecil’s innocent chatter hints at the personalities that surround him, the narrative hints at the simmering rivalries and loyalties that will shape the lives of the families tied to the manor.
Through vivid description and lively dialogue, the story introduces the spirited Elinor, a striking figure in green silk and pearls, and the looming presence of the estate’s patriarchs. Their interactions with the boy foreshadow the tangled alliances and personal ambitions that will drive the romance and adventure to come, inviting listeners to step into a world where love, honor, and colonial intrigue collide.
Language
en
Duration
~8 hours (477K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Chris Curnow, Craig Kirkwood, Chris Jordan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
2015-02-17
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1856–1935
A lively American writer of historical fiction, biography, and popular history, she turned the early American past into readable, character-driven books. Her work ranged from colonial romances to well-known lives such as Dolly Madison, always with an eye for story as well as setting.
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