Virgin Widow

Virgin Widow
Anne O'Brien

A Sunday Times BestsellerEngland’s Forgotten Queens‘O’Brien cleverly intertwines the personal and political in this enjoyable, gripping tale.’-The Times'I was a penniless, landless petitioner, my Neville blood a curse, my future dependent on the charity of those who despised me…’Anne Neville is the heiress and daughter of the greatest powerbroker in the land, Warwick the Kingmaker. Trapped in a deadly tangle of political intrigue, she is a pawn in an uncertain game, used by the houses of Neville, York and Lancaster alike.In England’s glittering, treacherous court, not all wish to see the Nevilles raised high. The Earl of Warwick’s ambition and pride lead him into an attempt to depose the Yorkist King; his treason forces his family into exile.Humiliated and powerless in a foreign land, Anne must find the courage and the wit to survive in such a dangerous man’s world.Compulsively readable, Anne O’Brien vividly evokes the story of Richard III’s queen with a passion and vibrancy reminiscent of Phillipa Gregory and Alison Weir.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@anne_obrien

Virgin Widow

Anne O’Brien

All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.

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 2010.

HQ

1 London Bridge Street

London

SE1 9GF

©Anne O’Brien 2010

ISBN 978-1-4089-2795-3

Version: 2018-04-09

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)

Table of Contents

Cover (#u4ee4997e-f0ec-51f5-929b-0fe3ed6bc89b)

Title Page (#u2bca40fe-86e4-5d49-abef-c5bec7e63347)

Copyright (#u30562cbd-cf5b-5b81-892a-7653c6f14425)

About the Author (#uc0983c37-3b18-5005-8bf1-1a821738d489)

Dedication (#ucbf05712-a368-5680-8013-90465bee491e)

Acknowledgements (#ue75c2902-1561-5238-bbd3-9fe67fec1253)

Epigraph (#u904e865c-b863-5e1d-acd1-78a30d76a4ac)

House of York (#u059dde5a-2c20-56f1-b6d4-5abcc6cd3dd9)

Chapter One (#u696cf6b4-aa84-5a47-ac21-773545a42df5)

Chapter Two (#ua058224f-0808-5010-99f4-e593c0eca4e3)

Chapter Three (#u24787b05-c584-58b7-b2b5-182aef07fe0f)

Chapter Four (#ud277d51c-9c9c-566d-a765-38ac630f6333)

Chapter Five (#u487e92a0-aa89-5991-ba77-2d42f11abab5)

Chapter Six (#ub8c5e23f-98a7-5730-ae05-714e4e6efcb2)

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)

Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)