A Pearl for My Mistress

A Pearl for My Mistress
Annabel Fielding

A story of class, scandal and forbidden passions in the shadow of war. Perfect for fans of Iona Grey, Gill Paul and Downtown Abbey.England, 1934. Hester Blake, an ambitious girl from an industrial Northern town, finds a job as a lady's maid in a small aristocratic household.Despite their impressive title and glorious past, the Fitzmartins are crumbling under the pressures of the new century. And in the cold isolation of these new surroundings, Hester ends up hopelessly besotted with her young mistress, Lady Lucy.Accompanying Lucy on her London Season, Hester is plunged into a heady and decadent world. But hushed whispers of another war swirl beneath the capital… and soon, Hester finds herself the keeper of some of society’s most dangerous secrets…‘A captivating, stylish… historical novel about the polite society, dangerous affairs … political intrigue and espionage in London in the 1930s.’ – Christabel, Goodreads

England, 1934. Hester Blake, an ambitious girl from an industrial Northern town, finds a job as a lady’s maid in a small aristocratic household.

Despite their impressive title and glorious past, the Fitzmartins are crumbling under the pressures of the new century. And in the cold isolation of these new surroundings, Hester ends up hopelessly besotted with her young mistress, Lady Lucy.

Accompanying Lucy on her London Season, Hester is plunged into a heady and decadent world. But hushed whispers of another war swirl beneath the capital… and soon, Hester finds herself the keeper of some of society’s most dangerous secrets…

A Pearl for My Mistress

Annabel Fielding

ONE PLACE. MANY STORIES

Contents

Cover (#u5b4000ff-43b9-5c9d-b299-936474c0ef6a)

Blurb (#u89c660db-ea90-588a-a760-4aebbf1a4ce9)

Title Page (#uaea84a2c-ba5e-578c-8510-d6f55207cb99)

Author Bio (#ue8cba52c-5d5e-5b23-a25b-cd5923873668)

Dedication (#u0c9ec8b8-8fa3-5b51-921b-3fdaf13a1670)

Prologue (#ulink_cfe3294b-828d-51b1-b8bd-066f2647153f)

Chapter One (#ulink_42ee0517-741f-548d-8130-c1d04bc9a05a)

Chapter Two (#ulink_762fbc08-5e6d-5bf4-b236-6c622a3478ce)

Chapter Three (#ulink_9d05fd3a-9b78-5442-90c4-35c28171f9c7)

Chapter Four (#ulink_f075042d-436e-5783-89fb-11fbc5b15d63)

Chapter Five (#ulink_b6c3b952-8d15-58ff-872f-d3852e907911)

Chapter Six (#ulink_771cf406-4cda-50e2-bd7a-16fbaa6d9369)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-One (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-Two (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-Three (#litres_trial_promo)

Historical Note (#litres_trial_promo)

Endpages

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

ANNABEL FIELDING,

having graduated from the University of Arts London with an MA in Public Relations, is a PR assistant by day and a novelist by night. Being a self-professed history geek, she dedicates her free time to obscure biographies, solo travel and tea. She also posts a mix of book reviews and travel photos on her blog at http://historygeekintown.com (http://historygeekintown.com)

To my dearest Eugenia, who readily shared my rage and my love for so many things.

Prologue (#ulink_a39fd710-ce93-5cc8-af74-8902717ec992)

London, May 1933

Afternoon sunlight streamed through the majestic windows of the Claridge’s hotel. It danced across the room, reflecting on the new glass panels, throwing patches of light on Eleanor’s red hair. It illuminated the black-and-white mosaic, the cream-coloured pillars, and the gold-coloured walls. The whole restaurant now seemed to be serenely floating among the radiant clouds, all its patrons transformed into ethereal beings.

‘So, tell me about this new novel of yours.’

Only the sense of decorum must have prevented Eleanor from leaning across the table.

Her name always seemed a little too ceremonious for her, too decorous, too grand; perhaps, that is why she was usually fondly referred to as Nora.