Battle Royale

This is the third title in the Burley Series and it (principally) deals with Harriett Burley the youngest of the eight girls. it is set against the background of the abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire.

Harriett has reached her middle twenties having never come close to marriage instead carving out a niche for herself as a horticulturalist of some renown. An accident involving a carriage outside the gates of Burley Manor containing the very beautiful Amelia Greathead and her twin brother, the children of a Plantation Owner and his former slave wife, sets off a train of events culminating in a battle to the death between the forces of the Marquess of Halifax and those led by the Villainous and utterly ruthless Elias Bridgeman Prentice.

Along the way, the Dowager Lady Burley finds herself, somewhat to her surprise, falling in love with the elderly half brother of the Greathead twins. Amelia must contemplate the embarrassingly persistent attention of the young Theodore Wells, Lord Burley finds himself an accomplice to a runaway match between the daughter of a crooked city man and an articled clerk and Harriett finds herself drawn to the Marquess.

What is The Marquess' secret? Why does he keep so much of what he feels hidden and why did he stay away from his home for so long?

Once again the Burley sisters are called upon to exercise all their skills and ingenuity to help the Marquess restore his sadly dilapidated house with the unfortunate consequence that they find themselves as the last line of defence in the battle knowing that, if the battle is lost the the men will be killed Savile Park will be sacked, some of the ladies will be sold into slavery in America and the remainder will be dishonoured.