Rosie Chapel

AD80 It is a year since Hannah and Maxentius escaped from the cataclysmic eruption of Mt Vesuvius and, after a pleasant interlude in Rome, they must now embark on a new journey. This time to the troubled frontier of Northern Britannia, recently subjugated, yet maybe not quite pacified. This harsh borderland is a far cry from the luxuries and relative security of Rome, and danger lurks where least expected. A garrison of soldiers, some rather disgruntled with their isolated posting and it's new commander; local tribes people, although outwardly accepting of their erstwhile enemy, may still harbour a burning resentment that their lands have been occupied. Meanwhile, in the modern world and now married to Max, Hannah Vallier is working in the archives department of a museum on Hadrian's Wall; cataloguing artefacts from some of the original wooden forts, recently discovered following a series of aerial surveys. While most of the finds are mundane, Hannah is shocked when she comes across an all too familiar item. It is her, or rather her ancestor's pomegranate; the one carved by Maxentius in the aftermath of the massacre at Masada, carried from there to Pompeii and then on to Rome. Confused as to how it could be here in Northumberland, Hannah searches a new database for answers, finding a fragmented inscription indicating that Maxentius and Hannah had indeed been posted to Northern Britannia; that Maxentius had been commander of a garrison, the fort for which, coincidentally, had been almost exactly where she was now sitting. Realising what this might mean, Hannah needs to talk to Max, who is away on business. Before they get the chance, disaster strikes Believing the love of her life to have been killed and unable to deal with her grief, Hannah retreats into the past, re-connecting with her ancient family. Unfortunately, scant historical evidence for this period means that Hannah is unaware of what might be looming, instead she must trust that any information she holds will be enough to save them once again. Adjusting to a world on the frontier of Empire, Hannah meets the local wise woman and, as they share their love and knowledge of healing, a tentative friendship blossoms. The burgeoning cordiality between the garrison and the locals is jeopardised however, as a multitude of challenges conspire to undermine the fragile peace. Hannah realises that the threat might come from a most unexpected quarter, for there is one within the fort whose enmity will have dire consequences. At the same time, Hannah's heart whispers that maybe, just maybe Max is still alive and that he is calling her home. Will Maxentius be able to preserve the hard won trust of the locals, or will everything descend into madness? Is there any hope of discovering who is inciting such hostility before it's too late? Can Hannah learn to trust her heart, or will she remain forever caught out of time, her destiny floating away like embers on a breeze.

After receiving an ancient ruby clasp from her long dead grandmother, Hannah Wilson decides to visit Masada, supposedly the place where this gift was given to one of her ancestors. Travelling with her is Max Vallier, her best friend, who was already going to Herod's fortress in the desert, as part of an archaeological excavation team.Once there, Hannah is disturbed by strange visions. Visions, which seem to revolve around the AD66 attack by Zealot rebels, on the Roman garrison based at the fortress.As her two worlds begin to entwine, Hannah realises that she is experiencing the events of the past as they unfold, events, that so far she has only dreamed about. Pulled into the ancient world, she tends to three Roman soldiers who survived the attack, but who are now captives. Back in the modern world, she finds artefacts that tie her to her ancient counterpart. Meanwhile, her relationship with Max takes an interesting turn, but just as they admit their feelings for each other, a tragic accident tears them apart.Fate intervenes and Hannah slips into the world of Ancient Masada. There, away from all modern trappings, she must rely on her wits and instincts to deal with the challenges of her alternate life. A life in which she, an unmarried Hebrew woman, is a healer - a trained physician fighting to keep alive the men under her care. This life becomes more complicated as she realises she is falling in love with one of the Roman soldiers, a love that could have deadly consequences.Unsure whether she will ever be able to return to the modern world, Hannah accepts her destiny, rising to the challenges of living on an isolated fortress and, believing that she has a chance to save those she loves by using the knowledge she has brought with her from two thousand years in the future. The knowledge that, eventually, Jerusalem will fall and, that those escaping the city will make their way to this outpost, followed by an avenging Roman army intent on destruction.Will Hannah escape? Will she ever see Max again, or is she doomed to die along with hundreds of others as Masada falls - and what does any of this have to do with an ancient ruby clasp?

Tasked with investigating a heinous crime, Edward Lindsay travels from London to Dublin - a city which holds too many memories - in the guise of guardian to his sister. He knew it could be hazardous, and relished the challenge, but that wasn't what caused his stomach to tighten as they approached landfall. Dublin held more than just a murderer. There was also Aidan.While attending a party, Aidan Griffen is astonished when he comes face to face with a man who fled Dublin two years previously. A man he has desperately tried to forget.As Edward closes in on his quarry, a fire, deliberately extinguished, is rekindled. But what of it? Edward and Aidan share a love impossible, and to acknowledge their feelings - more dangerous than confronting a killer. Is there any hope of a happily ever after?

Once upon a time, somewhere in France, there was a man whose reckless obsession led him down a dark path - one which, ultimately, cost him his life. That ought to have been the end of it.Regrettably, as is so often the case, those who least deserve it, suffer for the actions of others. A decade after being sent away, Sebastien Daviau returns to the little village where everything began.Hoping to lay the ghosts of his childhood to rest, he studiously ignores the possibility, he might run into Charlotte de Montbeliard.As luck would have it, Charlotte is the one who runs into him? well, his horse? and although the brief encounter leaves a lasting impression, neither recognises the other. A name revealed causes a freak accident, catapulting Sebastien's past into his present, and bringing him face to face with a man whose reputation would intimidate the most ardent of suitors.Can whatever is blossoming between Charlotte and Sebastien survive the challenge imposed, or is their happily ever after about to fade as quickly as the bluebells they loved to chase?

Refusing to suffer the humiliation of her husband flaunting his mistress at Society events, the newly married Duchess of Wallingstead, Ella Lennox, takes control of her life. She leaves London for the family's country seat in remote Yorkshire.A woman alone, Ella spends the next four years turning a cold, grim house into a home, and transforming the fortunes of the estate. Not afraid of hard work, she soon earns the respect of those around her with her determination and unconventional attitude.Out of the blue, the duke arrives. Resigned to another arduous visit, Ella is stunned when it seems he is attempting to court her.Impossible Could her dream of a happy marriage be about to come true?Everything hangs on a snowstorm, a herd of cows and an uninvited guest

Professor Reuben Faulkner is content with his life. Approaching retirement, he still conducts courses in ancient history at the university where he's worked all his life, has a home he loves in a small North Yorkshire village, and is the author of a critically acclaimed book on the Emperor Hadrian. Out of the blue, he receives a letter from an American law firm. After more than three decades of silence, Erin, his wife - who abandoned him and their young son without explanation or further contact - wants to dissolve their marriage. Does Erin know of Reuben's minor celebrity? Is the prospect of a generous settlement too good an opportunity to miss?Not quite fifty and happily single, para-legal Paige Latimer accompanies her boss to Rosedale Abbey to interview their new client - an aging professor whose estranged wife has demanded a divorce. What ought to be a simple meeting, is made slightly more complicated when Reuben Faulkner turns out to be the polar opposite from the image in Paige's head... worse... she finds herself drawn to him. Unexpectedly, the couple are thrown together and, although Reuben would prefer Paige not be caught up in his divorce, their attraction is becoming harder to deny. Just as Reuben dares to risk his heart a second time, Erin tosses a spanner in the works, and her latest scheme could derail their blossoming romance before it has chance to start.

Happily, ever after? No such thing Bereft, following her beloved husband's sudden death, Lady Charlotte Sherbrooke has lost her belief in such romantic nonsense. Successful shipping merchant, Zacharie Romain, is no stranger to loss; his business can be hazardous. Moreover, his wife died in childbirth and even though it happened a decade ago, he has no mind to expose himself to such sorrow again. They meet in less than joyful circumstances but, as the year turns and grief diminishes, the woes of a small boy become the catalyst for something wholly unexpected. Can Charlotte and Zacharie trust what Fate has in store or will past heartbreak prevent them from taking a chance on love?

Her rescuer - his redemptionHorrifically scarred during the war, William Harcourt - Marquis of Blackthorne - prefers to spend his days in the quiet of his daffodil garden; plants do not pity, turn away, or judge.Lucy Truscott, whose life is far removed from that of the ton, has no idea that by saving the life of a young woman, to whom she bears an uncanny resemblance, her own will be placed in mortal danger.A chance encounter leads to something more. William begins to trust that Lucy sees the man beneath the scars, while Lucy is persuaded that love might actually transcend status.Unfortunately, before their courtship has really begun, someone has every intention of ending it - permanently.

Snatched from a quiet, peaceful life in the forest, Lucia suddenly finds herself staring into the jaws of an horrific death in the Roman arena from which escape seems impossible. Meanwhile, Rufius Atellus, a veteran Roman soldier, is appalled when he recognises Lucia among the victims about to be executed. Surely this is a ghastly mistake? But what can he do to save her? As the crowd roars in the arena, Lucia draws on her abilities to communicate with animals to reach out to the she-wolf leading the pack of ravaging animals to save herself, but in doing so has she simply avoided one gory death only to find herself facing another? In an unexpected twist, and as danger threatens, the lives of all three become inextricably entwined. Was it chance brought them together in that theatre of bloodshed, or simply a prelude to fate? Author's Note: This is a stand-alone book, however, there is a loose connection to the Hannah's Heirloom Sequence.

After witnessing his mother's grief at the loss of his father, Nick Drummond resolved never to cause someone he loved such distress. Even the happiness of his siblings would not sway him - until he met Rose.Rose Archer was almost content, assisting her doctor father in a tiny fishing village in the north of Yorkshire. To experience the world beyond, a tantalising dream - until she met Nick.Unexpectedly, the impossible becomes possible, and the renounced - desired above all things, but the shipwreck that brought them together, may yet tear them apart. Will Nick learn to trust his heart, or will his love for Rose remain forever hidden?

When Alex arrives in the small village of Rosedale Abbey, to take up a position as a research assistant for a renowned archaeologist, the last thing she is looking for, or expects to find, is love. Jake was perfectly happy with the status quo. When it came to relationships, he didn't do committed or long term. He called the shots, and if his current flame didn't like it, she knew what to do. A philosophy, which served him well - until he met Alex.Romance blooms, but even as the untamed wilderness of the North Yorkshire moors weaves its spell, a long buried secret might yet jeopardise their happily ever after.

Jessica Drummond, a bright and cheerful young woman, rarely gives romance, let alone love, a thought. Long hours working in her brother's shipping office affords little chance of her ever meeting an eligible bachelor. Duncan Barrington, veteran of the Napoleonic Wars, believes himself wounded in both body and soul. He has no intention of inflicting his demons on anyone, certainly not a beautiful and, in his opinion, irresponsible city lady.One cold & snowy morning, the plight of a bedraggled puppy throws Jessica and Duncan together and, as a spark of something indefinable yet wholly unquenchable begins to burn, it is unclear who rescued whom.

Lady Helena Trevallier was, to outward appearances, a social butterfly. She wandered the museums and art galleries, took long horse rides and enjoyed brisk constitutionals - weather permitting - around the many city parks. She flitted here and there, rather like an exotic butterfly and had several men trailing in her wake, in the hope that she might favour them with a dance or better still allow them to escort her to one of the many social gatherings.Unusually for a young woman of the elite, Helena is in no hurry to marry, unwilling to allow a man to dictate her life, for she has a secret; one which, had her social set known anything about might see them throwing up their hands in horror and one which any prospective suitor would surely demand she curtail. Every day, Helena disappears into a world few acknowledge, to help the poor, the downtrodden and the abused. Hugh Drummond, a wealthy shipping magnate, moves in quite different circles. He rarely mixes with Society and is happy spending his days working on his beloved ships. He takes great pains to avoid the extravagant events to which he occasionally receives invitations, for mamas looking to marry off their daughters usually stalk them and, a state of wedded bliss is something in which Hugh has no interest. He is too busy managing the shipping line and has no need of a wife whose only joy is dancing and frivolity. If - and it was a huge if - he ever marries, it would be to a woman as capable as he, not some giddy society miss. Then, quite unexpectedly, Hugh meets Helena and despite his resolve not to fall under her spell and her determination to maintain her independence - fate, it seems, has other ideas. Attraction quickly becomes something far deeper, but dark clouds appear on the horizon, heralding a storm that may yet tear them apart. Skullduggery abounds, testing their wits and forcing them to an agonizing decision, as one with nefarious intent threatens to destroy all they hold dear.

On her penultimate day at University, Kassandra Winters inadvertently overheard herself described as ..".too shy, too plain, a bit ungainly if you must know and rather on the plump side, not at all what's needed for such things...Kassandra would be far more suited to a job in an archive office..." Worse still she was subsequently knocked flying by the exceedingly tall and drop-dead gorgeous man to whom this description had been delivered. Adding insult to injury she ran into the same man the next afternoon and, justifiably upset by what she had heard, refused to indulge his somewhat perplexing determination to engage her in the oddest conversation and gave him short shrift.Fast-forward two years and contrary to expectations, Kassie is not hidden away in an archive office. She is in Rome; employed by one of that city's famous International Schools, as well as a tourist agency. One day, while escorting a group of visitors around the ancient Roman port of Ostia, she bumps into the same man - the man whose seemingly random remarks still puzzle her - and he introduces himself as Gabriel St Germain. This unexpected encounter leads to a job offer, the role of assistant tour guide for a three-week tour of ancient sites in and around Rome. Unable to resist such an opportunity, and against her better judgement, Kassie agrees.Kassie has intrigued Gabriel St Germain since he ran into her, literally, outside her professor's office. Despite her rushing off the following day, giving him no chance to apologise for what she had heard, Kassie left a lasting impression and her face haunts his dreams. Never expecting to see her again, Gabriel is astounded when she appears right in front of him - as though destined to do so - in the middle of a ruin and, resolved not to lose her a second time, he concocts a plan to win her heart. Gabriel's old-fashioned courtship touches something deep inside Kassie and, although struggling to believe that someone as handsome as Gabriel could possibly be interested in her, she soon realises she has fallen irrevocably in love with him. It seems he returns her feelings and for a brief moment, Kassie allows herself to trust that they have a chance at a happily ever after. However, just as Kassie shares everything of herself with Gabriel, her world comes crashing down and those callous words uttered that fateful day return to torment her. Can Gabriel save their romance or will it fall in ruins, like the relics of antiquity that brought them together.

Relief seemed at hand when, after suffering a year of abuse at the hands of the Duke of Aldwych, Grace Aldeburgh was caught with him in an extremely compromising situation. Instead of rescue, Grace was shunned by her family, ignored by her friends and ostracised by Society. Now, rarely leaving her home Grace has accepted that it will be years, if ever, before she is free of the stigma attached to her name by the duke's heinous actions. To shield herself from further pain, Grace locked away her heart, burying it so deeply that she wasn't sure it could ever be found. Out of the blue, Grace is granted a boon. She inherits a house in the tiny village of Oak Stanton, a place where nobody knows her and, Grace wonders, whether this is her chance to start afresh; a new life far away from her tormentor, and the malicious whispers of the ton.Arriving in Oak Stanton, Grace becomes acquainted with Giles and Billie Trevallier, the Earl and Countess of Winchester, and Theo Elliott the doctor for this little hamlet their warm welcome, a balm to her aching soul. Theo knows of Grace and is intrigued to meet the woman whom Society treated so harshly. A budding friendship between the two soon blossoms into something far more enduring but, for them to have any chance at happiness, Grace knows she must share her darkest secret with Theo, expecting that once it is revealed, he too will condemn her. Theo, however, is no fair-weather suitor and, already irrevocably in love with Grace, is resolved to be the man to unlock her heart.Unfortunately, just as a fairy tale ending seems within reach, a chance encounter precipitates a chain of events that will have tragic consequences. Determined to reclaim what he considers his prize, the duke has one of his henchmen follow Grace, tracing her to her new home and jeopardising her longed-for happiness. After a failed kidnap attempt, the duke's quest culminates in an acrimonious confrontation with Grace and suddenly the reason for his venal pursuit of her becomes agonisingly clear.

Etched in Starlight MaxentiusOnly eighteen years of age, army recruit Lucius Maxentius Valerius, arrives in Armenia, a world away from the comforts of Rome. Rather than a career in politics, as his family would have preferred, he has chosen a life in the military. Being a soldier in the Roman Army is not for the faint hearted; there is no such thing as an easy campaign and, here in the wilderness of Armenia, they face the Parthians, a formidable enemy, one whom the Romans underestimated once before - to their downfall. This does not deter Maxentius; he has long wanted this life.It becomes apparent, that Maxentius is a born solider. His uncanny ability to anticipate the actions of the enemy, desire to understand and empathise with the local populace and reasoned perspective on any given strategy, gains the young man the respect of comrades and his superiors and he is promoted with unusual rapidity. A soldier with such instincts is a desirable commodity and, after four years in Armenia, Maxentius is dispatched to Masada, an isolated outpost in the middle of Judaean Desert, taking command of the local garrison. Although a rather mundane assignment, it would be a welcome respite after several years of warfare. HannahHundreds of miles away in Jerusalem, a city descending into chaos, a young girl is training to be a healer under the watchful eye of her uncle. Not your conventional Hebrew maid, Hannah bat Avigail, forgoes traditional feminine pastimes, spending her days treating all manner of wounds and ailments. Relishing the challenge, Hannah dreams of becoming a physician. The city is rife with dissent and clashes between advocates and opponents of Roman rule are commonplace. Every day Hannah and her uncle deal with injuries more typical of a battlefield than a civilised society. Worse, her brother and his friends are caught up in the violence and she fears for their lives.Deprivation and disease add to the increasing instability, inflaming the agitators and encouraging radical groups to join forces hoping to oust the Romans once and for all. In a desperate bid for weapons, a band of rebels venture into the desert, to a fortress guarded by a Roman garrison.Hannah's brother refuses to leave his sister alone in an increasingly lawless city and so she travels with him, accepting that, if nothing else, her skills as a healer will probably be required.MasadaIn the aftermath of the attack on Herod's citadel, Hannah finds and, against her brother's wishes, treats three badly injured soldiers. Unexpectedly, one of them touches something deep inside her; something that, despite him being an enemy and a captive, she cannot ignore. Maxentius regains consciousness to the knowledge that this impregnable citadel has fallen and that he is likely one of only three of his garrison to survive the ambush. Uncertain of his future and in a haze of agony, he realises he is in the care of a young woman. A young woman, whose startling green eyes and impish smile, will turn his world upside down In the days that follow and against impossible odds, they come to realise that they are more than healer and captive, their fate already etched in starlight.Etched in Starlight is the prequel to the Hannah's Heirloom Trilogy.