The Forbidden Queen

The Forbidden Queen
Anne O'Brien

A Sunday Times BestsellerEngland’s Forgotten Queens‘O’Brien cleverly intertwines the personal and political in this enjoyable, gripping tale.’-The TimesAn innocent pawn. A kingdom without a King. A new dynasty will reign… 1415. The jewel in the French crown, Katherine de Valois, is waiting under lock and key for King Henry V. While he’s been slaughtering her kinsmen in Agincourt, Katherine has been praying for marriage to save her from her misery. But the brutal King wants her crown, not her innocent love.For Katherine, England is a lion’s den of greed, avarice and mistrust. And when Katherine is widowed at twenty-one she is a prize ripe for the taking. Her young son the future monarch, her hand in marriage worth a kingdom. This is a deadly political game; one the Dowager Queen must learn fast.The players – Duke of Gloucester, Edmund Beaufort and Owen Tudor – are circling. Who will have her? Who will ruin her?This is the story of Katherine de Valois. The forbidden queen who launched the most famous dynasty of all time…Praise for Anne O’Brien‘O’Brien cleverly intertwines the personal and political in this enjoyable, gripping tale.’- The Times‘A gem of a subject … O’Brien is a terrific storyteller’- Daily Telegraph‘Joanna of Navarre is the feisty heroine in Anne O’Brien’s fast-paced historical novel The Queen’s Choice.’-Good Housekeeping‘A gripping story of love, heartache and political intrigue.’-Woman & Home‘Packed with drama, danger, romance and history.’-Pam Norfolk, for the Press Association‘Better than Philippa Gregory’ – The Bookseller ‘Anne O’Brien has joined the exclusive club of excellent historical novelists.’ – Sunday Express ‘A gripping historical drama.’-Bella‘This book has everything – royalty, scandal, fascinating historical politics and ultimately, the shaping of the woman who founded the Tudors.’ – Cosmopolitanwww.anneobrien.co.uk@anne_obrien

Praise for the author

ANNE

O’BRIEN

‘The characters are larger than life…and the author

a compulsive storyteller. A little fictional embroidery has been worked into history but the bones of the book are true.’

—Sunday Express

‘O’Brien has excellent control over the historical

material and a rich sense of characterisation, making for a fascinating and surprisingly female-focused look at one of the most turbulent periods of English history.’

—Publishers Weekly

‘Better than Philippa Gregory’

—The Bookseller

‘Anne O’Brien is fast becoming one of Britain’s most

popular and talented writers of medieval novels. Her in-depth knowledge and silky skills with the pen help to bring the past to life and put the focus firmly on some of history’s most fascinating characters.’

—Pam Norfolk, Lancashire Evening Post

‘Anne O’Brien is definitely an author to watch for

historical fiction fans and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.’

—One More Page…

‘Ms O’Brien’s prose is smooth and uncomplicated.

Her characters’ speech is not overburdened with archaic expressions, yet still evokes the time period. She has obviously done a good deal of research and it makes this story pleasurable to someone like myself, who loves all things medieval…’

—Cynthia Robertson, Literarydaze

Also by

ANNE

O’BRIEN

VIRGIN WIDOW

DEVIL’S CONSORT

THE KING’S CONCUBINE

About the Author

ANNE O’BRIEN taught history in the East Riding of Yorkshire before deciding to fulfil an ambition to write historical fiction. She now lives in an eighteenth-century timbered cottage with her husband in the Welsh Marches, a wild, beautiful place renowned for its black-and-white timbered houses, ruined castles and priories and magnificent churches. Steeped in history, famous people and bloody deeds, as well as ghosts and folklore, the Marches provide inspiration for her interest in medieval England.

Visit her at www.anneobrienbooks.com (http://www.anneobrienbooks.com)

The Forbidden Queen

Anne O’Brien

This is a work of fiction. References to historical events, real people or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II B.V./S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

HQ is an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd

Published in Great Britain 2013

HQ 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF

© Anne O’Brien 2013

eISBN 978-1-472-01023-0

Version: 2018-07-18

Table of Contents

Cover (#uf8ae2d9b-1FFF-11e9-9e03-0cc47a520474)

Praise (#uf8ae2d9b-2FFF-11e9-9e03-0cc47a520474)

Also by Anne O’Brien (#uf8ae2d9b-3FFF-11e9-9e03-0cc47a520474)

About the Author (#uf8ae2d9b-4FFF-11e9-9e03-0cc47a520474)

Title Page (#uf8ae2d9b-5FFF-11e9-9e03-0cc47a520474)

Copyright (#uf8ae2d9b-6FFF-11e9-9e03-0cc47a520474)

Dedication (#uf8ae2d9b-9FFF-11e9-9e03-0cc47a520474)