Angelmonster (21 page)
Authors: Veronica Bennett
“Nothing else can break the promise to the devil. You must help us or we’ll never be free of it.”
1910: After the death of her father, Catriona goes to stay with her uncle and cousin Jamie at Drumwithie Castle. And when supernatural forces begin to stir, it is Cat who has the power to reveal the castle’s long-hidden truths.
VICE AND VIRTUE
“It is clear you have the attributes required for a secret existence – suspiciousness, distrust, the desire to interrogate, the need for constant confirmation. And you have the wit to think your way out of any situation. You will make a most excellent spy, do you not agree?”
1700: Aurora Eversedge has agreed to marry the ailing but wealthy Edward Francis to make a better life for herself. For a girl with few prospects, marriage to a virtual stranger is only a small sacrifice to make.
But Mr Francis is not all he seems.
And Aurora is the key he’s been waiting for to unlock his secret revenge…
CASSANDRA’S SISTER
Falling in love has but two outcomes… The first is that the man does not care for you. Result: your heart is broken. The second is that your love is returned. Result: he declares, families are consulted, a marriage takes place and a life of child-bearing and preserve-making follows
.
As Jane Austen writes the novels that will become such classics as
Sense and Sensibility
and
Pride and Prejudice
, she despairs of ever finding a Mr Darcy of her own among the closed circle of her rural acquaintance.
But, in the winter of 1796, the handsome Tom Lefroy enters Jane’s quiet life. At a time when money conquers love, can the happy ending Jane wrote for her characters be hers in real life?
ANGELMONSTER
Veronica Bennett was an English lecturer for many years, but now writes full-time. The seed for
Angelmonster
was planted when she happened to see a portrait of Mary Shelley hanging in the National Portrait Gallery. “The look in her eyes fascinated me,” says Veronica. “It came to me that history and biography can tell us facts and speculate on her feelings – but only a novel can bend history to the power of the imagination and explore what might have been behind those eyes.” Researching Mary’s story, Veronica was struck by “what happened to her at such a young age, and at a period of history when, we are led to suppose, young girls were prevented from doing anything.” Veronica lives in Middlesex with her husband, and has an adult son and daughter.
Books by the same author
The Boy-free Zone
Cassandra’s Sister
The Devil’s Promise
Fish Feet
Monkey
Shakespeare’s Apprentice
Vice and Virtue
For younger readers
Dandelion and Bobcat
The
Poppy Love
series
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or, if real, used fictitiously. All statements, activities, stunts, descriptions, information and material of any other kind contained herein are included for entertainment purposes only and should not be relied on for accuracy or replicated as they may result in injury.
First published 2005 by Walker Books Ltd
87 Vauxhall Walk, London SE11 5HJ
This edition published 2013
Text © 2005 Veronica Bennett
Cover illustration © 2013 Adam McCauley
The right of Veronica Bennett to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted or stored in an information retrieval system in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, taping and recording, without prior written permission from the publisher.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data:
a catalogue record for this bookis available from the British Library
ISBN 978-1-4063-5111-8 (ePub)