Bequest

by Phyllis McDuff

Bequest is the story of a gold bracelet containing a miniature portrait of Queen Victoria, inscribed 'from Victoria R, May 1849'; an heirloom from my mother Bettina Mendl who fled Vienna in 1938 ahead of the Nazi occupation. She lost everything; an extensive villa, vineyards, a castle in the Tyrol, the Ankerbrot factory, and a stable of prize winning tournament horses. She fled to Australia with an English five pound note in her pocket. She survived the war, met my father; station manager Joe McDuff, and had two daughters. Many years later, she returned to Vienna and retrieved the bracelet. And I have discovered its story. In 1848 waves of rebellion claimed the Royal Houses of Europe one by one, leaving Queen Victoria and her family in the gravest of danger. The young Queen pregnant with her sixth child, survived two assassination attempts in two days.
Now Anna, a young Austrian maid in the Royal nursery, must undertake a secret mission to save the lives of the precious children in her care.

294 pages, Paperback

Published March 23, 2018

About the author

Phyllis McDuff was born in the outback, in Hillston, western New South Wales. Her early years included extensive family travel through Europe, Africa and Asia. She was educated at; Brigidine College in Randwick, Sydney University, the University of New England and the University of Queensland.

Her career training horses was based on instruction received at the famed Spanish Riding School of Vienna.

Phyllis has lived on the outskirts of Brisbane, Queensland since 1965. 

Phyllis has recently been awarded the Austria Prize for Services to German Literature; jointly awarded by the Austrian Consulate, University of Sydney and Macquarie University.

Reviews

[Sally Archer · Rating 5 out of 5]

a wonderful read found by chance in my local library

[Felix Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bequest is an interesting read. Not many people know how dangerous the Victorian Era was for Queen Victoria. She is well remembered for presiding over a period of expansion and prosperity, but the background of the violent Charterist rebellion and the horrors of the Irish Famine are often glossed over.
And when the perspective is widened to include the rest of Europe, the Victorian Era was full of turmoil and rebellion. The story is, at its essence, about a young nursemaid called Anna, who overcomes a monstrous injury with tenacity, fortitude, and wit, to rise through the strata of society and serve in Victoria’s Royal Nursery. When Anna is entrusted with a secret mission, her duty of care to the royal children just got a lot more dangerous.
Fans of Julia Baird and Hilary Mantel will love Bequest.