The Ravenscar Dynasty (Ravenscar Series) - Softcover

Bradford, Barbara Taylor

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0312354665 ISBN 13: 9780312354664

Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2007

Synopsis

Bestselling author Barbara Taylor Bradford introduced the illustrious Harte family in her blockbuster A Woman of Substance. Now she has created a powerful new cast of characters whose lives are filled with drama and danger, romance and revenge: the Deravenels.

IN ONE HEARTBEAT THEIR LIVES CHANGED FOREVER...
When Cecily Deravenel tells her eighteen-year-old son Edward of the death of his father, brother, uncle, and cousin in a fire, a part of Edward dies as well. Not only is he too young to shoulder the responsibility for an entire family, Edward is also suspicious of the deaths. So he vows to seek the truth. Avenge the deaths. And retake control of their global business empire.

IN ONE MOMENT, AMBITION AND REVENGE ARE BORN.
As he grows into a handsome, charismatic man, Edward is torn between duty and desire. There are women in his life for whom he'll risk everything―and one woman who might destroy him. But madness and secrecy lie at the heart of the family, and Edward's enemies are far more ruthless than he knows. He will need his strength more than ever when the house of Deravenel is fatally rocked by betrayal from within. Who will become the ultimate ruler of the Deravenels?

About this title

About the Author:

Barbara Taylor Bradford is the author of 25 bestselling novels, including Playing the Game, Breaking the Rules, and Being Elizabeth. She was born in Leeds, England, and from an early age, she was a voracious reader: at age 12, she had already read all of Dickens and the Brontė sisters. By the age of twenty, she was an editor and columnist on Fleet Street. She published her first novel, A Woman of Substance, in 1979, and it has become an enduring bestseller.

Barbara Taylor Bradford's books are published in over 90 countries in 40 languages, with sales figures in excess of 82 million. Ten of her novels have been adapted into television mini-series starring actors including Sir Anthony Hopkins, Liam Neeson, Deborah Kerr and Elizabeth Hurley. She has been inducted into the Writers Hall of Fame of America, and in June of 2007, Barbara was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to Literature.

She lives in New York City with her husband, television producer Robert Bradford, to whom all her novels are dedicated, and their Bichon Frise dogs, who sit under her desk while she writes.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

Chapter One Yorkshire 1904 Edward Deravenel galloped ahead at great speed, leaving his brothers behind, rapidly gaining the advantage. He urged his white stallion forward, oblivious to the icy weather, the lash of the wind on his face. At one moment, half turning in the saddle, glancing behind him, Edward laughed out loud, his hilarity filling the air as he waved to his brothers: George, endeavoring to catch up, his face grim in its determination . . . Richard, struggling even farther behind, yet laughing and waving back. But then he was the youngest, and much less competitive, the baby of the family, and Edward's particular favorite. For a split second Edward considered slowing down and allowing Richard to win this impromptu race, which had come about spontaneously a short while before, then instantly changed his mind. George would inevitably contrive to finish first, by pushing Richard out of the way in his overriding desire to be the winner. Somehow he always managed to do this, no matter what the circumstances. And this Edward could not permit. He strived to make certain Richard was never humiliated, never diminished by George, who was older than Richard by three years and frequently endeavored to lord it over the younger boy. Edward continued at a gentler pace along the narrow path, glancing to his left as he did. The cliffs fell steeply to the rocks and the beach; six hundred feet below him, the North Sea roared under the gusting wind, resembled polished steel in the January sunlight. The waves frothed and churned against the jagged rock formations, while above him kittiwakes, graceful and buoyant in flight, squawked stridently as they wheeled and turned against the pale sky. Hundreds of these beautiful white gulls with black-tipped wings made their homes on the cliff faces, and as a child he had watched them nesting through his binoculars. He shivered involuntarily as the sudden remembrance of a tragedy of long ago hit him most forcibly. A man in his father's employ, who had been bird-watching, had plunged to his death from this very spot. Now, instinctively, Edward veered away from the precarious cliffs, headed in the direction of the dirt road which led across the moors and was much safer terrain. This morning the moorland was dun-colored and patched with slabs of frozen snow, and there was no question in Edward's mind that he much preferred riding up here when the weather was more benign, the air even balmy and filled with the scent of wildflowers, and the northern summer light dazzling. Edward mentally chastised himself for taking his brothers out on this winter day. He had realized, rather late, that it was far too bitter, especially for Richard, who tended to catch colds so easily. He dared not contemplate his mother's ire if the boy fell sick because of this ill-conceived outing. Swinging his head, Edward saw that the boys had again slowed and were obviously fatigued by the long ride. He must spur them on, get them home without delay. He shouted, "Come on, chaps! Let's get a move on!" And he set off at a brisk canter. Once or twice he glanced behind him, pleased that his brothers had heeded his words and were cantering hard on his heels. Within minutes, to his profound relief, their ancestral home was in his direct line of vision. Ravenscar, the beautiful old manor house where the Deravenels had lived for centuries, stood on high ground, set back from the sea, and dominated the surrounding landscape. Dark green trees, ancient, tall, and stately, formed a semicircle around it on three sides, and these were backed by high stone walls; the fourth wall was a natural one--the North Sea. This stretched into infinity below the tiered gardens and sloping lawns that ended at the edge of the precipitous cliffs. As Edward drew closer, he could easily make out the crenellation along the line of the roof, smoke curling up from the chimneys, and the many mullioned windows glittering in the sunlight. Within seconds he was bringing his horse to a slow trot, riding through the black iron gates and up the long, tree-lined drive. This ended with some abruptness in a small, circular courtyard covered with gravel and with a sundial in its center. The house was built of a local, pale-colored stone that had mellowed to a soft golden beige with the passing of the centuries. It typified Tudor architecture with its recesses and bays, gables and battlements, and many windows of differing sizes. Ravenscar was one of those grand houses from the past, and it had a lovely symmetry and a charm all its own. To Edward there was a sense of timelessness about it, a quality of serenity and peace dwelling in its gently flowing facade, and he understood why his forebears had always cherished and cared for this treasure. The Deravenels had lived in their house by the sea since 1578, the year it was finished. Before then, for many centuries, the family had occupied the fortified castle that had stood on the edge of the cliffs; a ruin now, it was nonetheless a well-maintained ruin. This stronghold had been built in 1070 by the founding father of the dynasty, one Guy de Ravenel, a young knight from Falaise, liege man of William, Duke of Normandy. Duke William had invaded England in 1066, claiming his right to the English throne through his cousin the deceased monarch Edward the Confessor, who had promised that the throne would be his one day. But for political convenience, Edward had reneged on that promise and passed over William in favor of his wife's brother, Harold, bequeathing the throne to the man who became, briefly, Harold II. Believing his claim to be absolutely legitimate, William had crossed the English Channel with the six knights who were his trusted childhood friends and a large army. He defeated Harold at the Battle of Hastings and was proclaimed William the Conqueror and crowned on Christmas Day of 1066. A few years later, William had dispatched Guy de Ravenel to the north to act as his marshal. Based in Yorkshire, Guy had followed William's orders, had kept the peace, by force when necessary, built defenses and forts, and ensured the north's loyalty to the Norman king. And Guy had been enriched by William because of his staunch loyalty and unparalleled success. Ever since that time, some 835 years ago, descendants of Guy de Ravenel had lived on this long stretch of coastline known as Ravenscar high above the North Sea. Nearby was the ancient seaport and spa of Scarborough; a little farther along the expansive stretch of coast was a picturesque fishing village with the quaint name of Robin Hood's Bay. Both dated back to Roman times. Edward rode out of the courtyard and around to the back of the house, heading for the stable block. He clattered into the cobbled yard, his brothers following behind him, and jumped off his horse with his usual vitality and energy. As he hurried over to his youngest brother, he greeted the stable lads cheerfully; a moment later he was reaching up for the eight-year-old Richard, exclaiming, "Let me help you down, Dick!" Richard shook his head vehemently. "I can manage, Ned. I truly can," the boy protested, stealing a surreptitious look at George through the corner of his eye. He knew only too well that his brother would tease him unmercifully if Ned helped him to dismount. But Ned paid not the slightest attention to Richard; he put his strong arms around the boy, determined to lift him out of the saddle. Richard sighed. Accepting that he now had no choice, he slipped his riding boots out of the stirrups and reluctantly slid into his brother's enfolding arms. For a split second, Edward held Richard close to his chest, and then he put him down on the cobblestones, noting that the youngster's narrow face was pinched with cold and drained of color. My fault, he chided himself, regretting even more his thoughtlessness. "Thank you, Ned," Richard murmured, staring up into his oldest brother's face through his steady, slate-blue eyes. Edward was six feet four, broad of chest, very strong and athletic. His brilliant eyes were as blue as the speedwells that grew in the summer meadows, and his thick hair was a stunning burnished red-gold. To Richard, and to every woman who met him, Edward Deravenel was the handsomest man alive, and in addition, he had a warm, outgoing personality. He was affable, inordinately friendly, and blessed with a beguiling charm that captivated everyone. Richard loved him more than anyone else in the family, was completely devoted to him, and he would be all of Edward's life, and even after that. "Inside the house as fast as you can," Edward cried, giving Richard an affectionate push toward the side door, which led to the mudroom. "And you, too, George, my lad. No dawdling around this morning." The two boys did his bidding, and as Edward followed them at a quick pace, he called out to one of the stable lads, "The horses have been ridden hard this morning, Ernie. They need your very best rubdown, and put the heavy wool blankets on them before you give them water and feed." "Aye, Master Edward," Ernie shouted back, glancing at him. He and the other stable lad took the reins of the three horses and led them toward the stables and tack room. Once Edward and his brothers entered the mudroom, they felt the warmth of the house surrounding them. Shedding their black-and-white checked caps and thick woolen Inverness capes, they scraped their riding boots free from dirt. A moment later they all went down the corridor at ...

About this edition

• Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0312354665
• ISBN 13: 9780312354664
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 576