Part of Series
Banished by her malicious stepmother, Lady Cranleigh, after the death of her father, Melita braves a long and lonely sea voyage from England to the Caribbean island of Martinique. With a heavy heart at leaving her childhood home, as her father has left her penniless, she has no choice but to comply with her stepmother’s bidding and accept her reduced circumstances with grace. As the ship sails ever closer to her destiny, Melita is determined to face her new life as a lowly Governess to motherless little Rose-Marie with fortitude. Arriving in the French colony, Melita is delighted to discover Martinique is a sun-drenched island blessed with beauty. Overwhelmed by the clear blue skies and the abundance of colourful flowers and shrubs, she begins to believe that she can be happy again, especially when she meets the handsome and surprisingly young, Comte de Vesonne, her new employer. Gazing at each other in astonishment, both are pleasantly surprised to discover something that they were not expecting. But not everyone at the sugar plantation is so pleased to welcome her and, when Melita hears drums pounding softly in the night, shattering the tranquility of the safe haven she has found at Vesonne, she remembers with foreboding the warnings she has heard about Voodoo practiced by the African slaves. Can the mysterious old woman that the slaves call their Mamba really call on the spirits of the dead? And if so, do they mean to help or harm her and the Comte she so much admires and is beginning to love? One thing is for sure – she will protect her young charge, little Rose-Marie, with her life if needs be.
Author
Dame Mary Barbara Hamilton Cartland was a English writer, during her long career, she wrote over 700 books, making her one of the most prolific authors of the 20th century. She sold over 1,000 million copies throughout the world, earning her a place in the Guinness Book of Records. The world's most famous romantic novelist, she also wrote autobiographies, biographies, health and cookery books, and stage plays and recorded an album of love songs. She was often billed as the Queen of Romance, and became one of the United Kingdom's most popular media personalities, appearing often at public events and on television, dressed in her trademark pink and discoursing on love, health and social issues. She started her writing career as a gossip columnist for the Daily Express. She published her first novel, Jigsaw, a society thriller, in 1923. It was a bestseller. She went on to write myriad novels and earn legions of fans, she also wrote under her married name Barbara McCorquodale. Some of her books were made into films. Ever the romantic, during WWII, she served as the Chief Lady Welfare Officer in Bedfordshire. She gathered as many wedding dresses as she could so that service brides would have a white gown to wear on their wedding day. She also campaigns for the rights of Gypsies, midwives and nurses. Barbara Cartland McCorquodale passed away on 21 May 2000, with 160 still unpublished manuscripts, that are being published posthumously.
