The Jacobite's Wife

The Jacobites' Saga #1

by Morag Edwards

Based on the true story of Lady Nithsdale who smuggled her husband out of the Tower of London Winifred had a troubled childhood. Her mother, father and brother were all imprisoned for treason due to their support for the Catholic king. When she falls in love with a handsome young Scottish nobleman, the marriage brings happiness. However, she is forced to rebel when her husband takes up the Jacobite cause and vows to restore the Catholic king to the throne. While Winifred wants to be loyal to her husband, she also wants to protect him from imprisonment – and worse, the scaffold!

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, 18th Century

214 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 4, 2018

About the author

After trying many different forms of writing, in 2005 I decided that I wanted to focus on the novel and took a leave of absence from my work as an educational psychologist to complete an M.A at Manchester University’s Centre for New Writing. I have over thirty years' experience of the impact of early childhood experience upon adult relationships and use this knowledge to develop my characters' personalities, even in historical fiction. Once I know the child, I have the adult!

'The Jacobite’s Wife' is the first book in the Jacobite Saga and is a fictionalised account of the life of Winifred Herbert, later Countess of Nithsdale. As a Scottish child, I learned about her role in her husband's dramatic escape from the Tower of London but in researching Winifred's life, I found that it was her story I wanted to tell. 'The Jacobites' Plight' is the second book in the series and takes the reader to the end of Winifred's life as well as following her brother William's story, and her fascinating niece Mary Herbert, gambler and entrepreneur. The Herbert family continued to intrigue me and for my third book in the Jacobite Saga, The Jacobite's Heir, I found two more fascinating women who marry into the Herbert family, Henrietta Waldegrave (later Beard) and her daughter Barbara Herbert, Mary Herbert's niece. All three novels are published by Bloodhound Books.

'Broken' was my first domestic-suspense drama and is self-published. It follows the story of Ros, who grew up in the youth justice system and has a baby at eighteen. On the maternity ward, she meets Anna, having her fourth child. Anna projects an image of a perfect life but her husband Nick resents the constraints of family life and is deceiving her. As their lives become entangled, all three struggle with secrets and lies. When Ros's past encroaches, their lives are blown apart. My second domestic-suspense drama, Crash, was published by Bloodhound Books in May 2024, under the pen name Isobel Ross.
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Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

By fictionalising notable historic events the author has created a platform from which to share the engaging and remarkable journey that is The Jacobite’s Wife. The gracefully flowing pages offer a generous interpretation of Lady Winifred Herbert’s life during a time of treason and rebellion.

Its swift pace swept through families suffering the consequence of political and religious unrest until it knocked on the door of the young and spirited Winifred, the unmistakable pillar of this novel.

Winifred appears to be holding the reins to her own destiny as she assuredly voices her experiences. We see her mature into a resilient woman whose actions could be considered courageous, if impetuous at times.

Her commitment and devotion provide the bedrock for her Scottish husband, William Maxwell (the 5th Earl of Nithslade), during his futile struggle to restore the exiled James II to the throne; the same struggle that has haunted her since childhood and already claimed the freedom of those close to her.

An audacious ruse of her own invention could secure her husband’s release from the Tower of London, but will expose her to resentment from unexpected quarters (in this version of events at least). After reading this account I’m unsure if the risk of her action, or rather her determined interference, could be considered entirely selfless.

It’s one of those books I looked forward to picking up at every opportunity and I’d be greatly interested to read a factual account of the actual inspiration for The Jacobite’s Wife, Lady Winifred Herbert.

(Huge thanks to the publisher for providing an advanced copy of this title, which I voluntarily chose to read and review.)

[Helen Hollick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has received a Discovering Diamonds Review:
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs

"I recommend it for those interested in Scotland’s independence movement and Jacobite period."

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Lady Winifred has had a troubled childhood. Her mother, father and brother were all imprisoned for treason due to their support for the Catholic king. When she falls in love with a handsome young Scottish nobleman, the marriage brings happiness. However, she is forced to rebel when her husband takes up the Jacobite cause and vows to restore the Catholic king to the throne. While Winifred wants to be loyal to her husband, she also wants to protect him from imprisonment – and worse, the scaffold!”

This synopsis introduces the reader to a novel which is based on the true story of Winifred, Countess of Nithsdale, the wife of William Maxwell, 5th Earl of Nithsdale, a man who took part in the Jacobite rising of 1715, was captured at the Battle of Preston and whose daring escape from imprisonment in the Tower of London, on the eve of his planned execution is a well-known historical fact. However, rather than telling the story from his perspective, Morag Edwards found Winifred a more interesting and intriguing character and, in this fictionalised account of her main character’s life, she explores why, in middle-age, this woman risked everything – her home, her children, even her own life – to rescue her husband.
The story starts in 1688, when Winifred is reported to be sixteen years old, and watches, in the middle of the night, as her mother and an older sister, depart in a carriage. The following morning she feels distraught when she is told that they have been summoned to accompany the Queen who, with the new baby prince, needed to flee to France because of the King’s fears for the safety of his family. Winifred had spent so much of her younger childhood feeling abandoned as a consequence of her family’s beliefs – at the age of eight she had had to cope with the trauma of visiting her mother in the Tower of London, where she had been imprisoned, accused of treason – so their departure without her feels like yet another rejection.
As with all Catholic families at that time, the fear of being accused of treason and of being persecuted for what they believed, were constant sources of anxiety and this story captured some of the terrors people must have felt, as well as the bravery of those who were prepared to make sacrifices in their fight for religious freedom. One of the strengths of this story, which covers the period 1688-1716, is the powerfully evoked way in which the author captured the some of the effects on families of this persecution. It offered some interesting insights into the political and social conditions of the time and into the deep-seated religious bigotry which often erupted into violence – the repercussions of which have been felt in Northern Ireland ever since. The descriptions of life in the Jacobite Court in Saint-Germain were also fascinating. This was where Winifred joined her parents in 1690, became a lady-in-waiting, met William in 1697 and married him two years later. However, it was the descriptions of their family life in Dumfries, from 1700-1714, which really captured my imagination because they created such a vivid picture of what it must have been like to live constantly in fear of persecution.
The author’s characterisations felt, for the most part, credible but I must admit that in the early chapters I needed to keep on reminding myself that Winifred was supposed to be sixteen. This was because much of her behaviour – especially her tantrums when thwarted and her emotional attachment to her transitional object, the “comfort cloth” of a piece of silk from her mother’s petticoat – resembled that of a much younger child. Rather than feeling any empathy with her, initially I found myself feeling irritated and impatient – reactions I know I wouldn’t have had had she in fact been eight! However, as the story progressed I came to admire her loyalty, determination and her bravery, even though there were times when I thought that her husband didn’t deserve such loving devotion!
This is an easy story to read and I think that Morag Edwards has managed to create an essentially credible account of a fascinating historical character. However, although it is clear that she has done considerable research into the period, I am left with some confusion about Winifred’s real age because research I have done suggests her date of birth as circa 1679/80 whilst in this book it is given as 1672, a discrepancy which would shift some of the psychological underpinning of the story. This has influenced my decision to give the book three rather than four stars – although a more accurate reflection would be three and a half!
My thanks to Hookline Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Samantha Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Hazel Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

'The Jacobite's Wife' is a really gripping narrative which gathered pace as it progressed. As a result, I read it in a couple of days as I could hardly put it down after the first three chapters.
The late C17 (Glorious Revolution) is my period of interest and is not often brought to life in fiction so I enjoyed that very much. Indeed, I think, with so few forerunners here, Morag Edwards has done a wonderful job of bringing it to life successfully. The political turmoil of the times is handled expertly and Edward's understanding of psychology makes her characters truly believable.
This is an excellent read.

[historic_chronicles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady Winifred Herbert has known danger all of her life. With her mother, father and brother having spent time imprisoned for treason for supporting the claim of the Catholic King James II to the throne, Lady Winifred hopes for peace and security when she falls in love with and marries the Scottish nobleman, William Maxwell, 5th Earl of Nithsdale. However, when her husband's sympathies lie with the Jacobite cause and lead to rebellion, the now Countess Winifred is forced to experience a life of danger once again as her husband is taken to The Tower of London. Desperate not to lose the man she loves, Countess Winifred must use every ounce of her bravery and intelligence to conspire to save her husband from The Tower before it is too late and she loses him forever.

A fictionalised account of true events, the outlandish story of William Maxwell, 5th Earl of Nithsdale is well documented. A participant in the Jacobite Rising of 1715, the Earl of Nithsdale was captured during the Battle of Preston and lodged within The Tower of London, only to be spirited away on the eve of his execution. As stated in the author's note prior to the novel, the story of Winifred Maxwell (née Herbert) is perhaps even more remarkable. By arranging the escape of her husband, Countess Winifred risked everything in her life: her children's inheritance, her family's status and security and her own life.

Morag Edwards vividly captures an impression of Countess Winifred during these turbulent years; from her difficult childhood with a realistic portrayal of families and their suffering as loyalty to King and kin were tested, along with the possible factors that led to the extraordinary events of her husband's escape, which I found Edwards presented in a compelling and convincing manner.

This novel has clearly been well researched, the depth of the political intrigue and religious unrest building tension throughout in a gripping, yet easy-to-follow narrative.

A fascinating book for historical fiction lovers looking for something slightly different.

Thank you to @bloodhound.books for sending me a copy.

[Leicester Bookgroup · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book produced a very lively book group discussion concluding that we had all enjoyed the novel and would recommend it to others.
The following were the main points of our discussion:
The main characters were well drawn and developed credibly. The author made us aware at various stages of the book of the progress of Winifred's headstrong, arguably self-centred character that drove her to organise her husband's release.
William was also a well drawn character that we concluded was an exasperating husband due to his feckless attitude to money and lack of responsibility to his family. However, he was a very loyal follower of the Jacobite cause. Many in the group felt that although Winifred was prepared to die for the love of William, his strongest motivation was to die for the Jacobite cause. This raised the question of was it worth Winifred taking so many risks that could have impacted on many lives in order to rescue him. Maybe William would have welcomed martyrdom?
We were able to relate to the timeless theme of a strong woman who is the backbone of a family and equally to men who are driven by their views and ambitions to try to achieve the impossible. Some wondered why Winifred stayed with William! We reflected on the difficulty of ascribing present day gender roles onto historical characters.
The style of writing was consistent and well paced. The device of using dialogue in a natural question/ answer form between characters, to fill in historical detail when there were time jumps in the story, was particularly effective.
We liked the use of the first person present tense in the opening pages. We felt this immediately drew the reader into the text. We were also impressed with the imagery used throughout to depict the various locations in the story. We all felt we were transported to that period of history of which none of us was familiar. Morag Edwards had clearly done extensive research to provide such detail.
The average rating from the Book Group was 4.5

[Lynne Slipper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful first novel; I was gripped from the first page, getting to know why Winifred’s mother had left her in the middle of the night, then by the pace and tension developed through religious uprisings and personal survival. I know nothing about this time, but could clearly see why Morag Edwards had chosen to focus on Winifred rather than her more famous husband William Maxell 5th Earl of Nithsdale. This choice enabled the book to move from a privileged catholic childhood in London, to a lady-in-waiting Jacobite Court in Saint-Germain, then back to rural life in Scotland, plotting a break out of the Tower of London and possible escape to France. From petulant child, to longing teenager, to hardworking mother then desperate wife determined to save her husband from the scaffold.
This is a believable rites of passage story from petulant child to headstrong woman wanting to win and keep the devotion of her husband. She needs to negotiate her way through childbirth, brutal angry attacks on members of the Catholic Church during this turbulent time. Her husband and fathers political allegiance and absentness leave her managing the complex security of her family. This book has it all.
What really stands out for me in Morag’s writing is Winifred’s inner voice. Is this her psychologist background? I am sure we all have discussions with ourselves that are rarely shared. For me to hear my ashamedly petty inner discussions in the book were comforting and inspirational and like most of us Winifred reveals these as a child but manages and conceals them as an adult.
On odd occasions I felt the child’s voice had traces of modern dialogue, but who knows maybe children have always pretended to vomit when showing disgust. Who better to know than a child psychologist?
Looking forward to the sequel.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is hard to believe that this book is a debut book for the author because the writing feels and reads like from a well established writer.
The book tells the life story of Lady Winifred Herbert, at first we meet her, in the 1700's, as a stubborn and spoiled young girl, who to her eyes gets abandoned by her mother and sister when they go with the Catholic Queen of England to France where the exile court is being set up.
Winifred had a very turbulent childhood and upbringing because of the political situation of the land and especially since her family was a Jacobite family supporting the Catholic King and being very involved in the efforts to bring him back into power.
Throughout the book we see Winifred evolution in character and power to the point of scheming and achieving the impossible rescue of her husband from the infamous prison on the Tower of London.
There's a lot of research involved in this book and the author was able to convey the turbulent story of the era into a very engaging book, one that holds the interest of the reader, maybe not from the beginning, the pace of the book picks up after a few chapters, but definitely once it does it is hard to put it down.
I'm looking forward to reading more books from this author.

[PersephonesChapter Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went in to this book blind and found myself completely captivated. The writing style had an irresistible pull that kept me engrossed at every stage of the story.

Winifred's life is a rollercoaster of emotions and challenges . From a troubled childhood marked by her family's alleged treason to a blissful marriage tainted by her husband's involvement in the Jacobite cause, but her resilience still shines. As I followed her path, my heart went out to her, torn between loyalty to her husband and the desire to shield him from dire consequences.

What makes this book even more remarkable is the historical backdrop it unveils and facts of history as it unfolded. I'm grateful for the newfound knowledge of this intriguing slice of history. It is a gripping tale that educates and entertains in equal measure.

I was pleased with the ending, the whole way through I was hoping that this might be the case with the way Win was treated and those who followed and helped her and her husband.

[Hailey Beaupre · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really excited to read this story, but I was left disappointed. The timeline and sequence of events is incredibly choppy. One paragraph Winifred is one age, then half a page later, during what seems like the same event, she’s aged 10 years out of nowhere. The story is so interesting but the writing is so rushed it feels like a multitude of things were left out. The story just speeds through every thing to the point where it almost doesn’t make sense. I was constantly asking “how did they just get there so fast? Did I misread something?” Also, it just ends so randomly you’re left not knowing what happens. It’s a shame because the premise of this story and piece of history has the potential to be an extraordinary tale.

[Robin Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite the benefit of hindsight I have always thought if I had been alive towards the end of the seventeenth century I would have been a Jacobite. There's the lure of romance, gallantry, heroism daring-do in the Scottish Highlands.
This fine novel brings me back to reality: the hardships, fear, corruption, surrounding the attempts by the deposed Stuarts to regain the Crown.
Following in the footsteps of Sir Walter Scott, and Nigel Tranter, Morag Edwards tells the story of an amazing woman, Winifred Herbert, with zest and passion, evoking all the fears, hopes and betrayals of the doomed Stuart cause.
I absolutely loved this novel and can't wait for the next in the series.

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book and was immediately engaged from the very beginning. It kept me interested and excited to see what would happen next in the fascinating life of Winifred, Countess of Nithsdale. Very well written and I felt I learned a lot about this era of political unrest between England and Scotland as well as gained some insight as to what life would've been like for those who lived through it. I was left wanting more and even did a bit of research myself to learn more about this fascinating woman and this dramatic period of time.

[Bobbi Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by this author which I look forward to seeing what is next for them. I enjoyed reading this book. It has a little bit of everything in it, from romance to even some suspense. This is a well written story about finding happiness only to have to defend that love. I enjoyed how the characters pulled me into the story and kept me there until the end. I also enjoyed watching the growth of the characters and some even had me on a roller coaster of emotions. A fast paced, engaging, hard to put down story that I highly recommend.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading this book very much. I knew nothing about any Jacobite's movement, to my shame, I had to google the word to find what it actually means. I am very thankful. I gained a deeper understanding of it from this novel.
It was an easy read, M. Edwards manged to create an atmosphere on each page where you could feel in the middle of the happenings.
The characters were well designed, especially Winifred and Grace and the relation between them.

[Ben G Raimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

well done historical tale set among characters struggling for human and religious rights in England-Scotland-France’s Jacobean era

Catch a glimpse of the French court as the intrigues of who is destined to govern England and Scotland in the Jacobean Rebellion. One heroic woman carves out a destiny for her family by becoming the queen’s confidante and friend.

Well written. Great characters. Cliff hanger intrigues.

[louise page-bulloch · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read even though it was far fetched

The story was based in a historic time frame, unfortunately it lacked depth of substance to make it believable. Sweeping between years and circumstances, the heroine having too much influence and access to money from an impoverished social group for a woman of that time period. That being said it passed a couple of hours, but I don't think that I will read the next book in the series

[Emma Bevan · Rating 4 out of 5]

To begin with I didn't like the main character, she is young, spoiled and annoying. This is obviously intentional to show her growing. I did think I wasn't going to like the book because I couldn't warm to her. But as she ages and the story grows in interest, I then became interested on what is based on a true story.

[Sian Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book 📚

I absolutely loved this book, I am a big lover of history and the depths this book goes into is amazing, there are times when I'm reading this, I can feel my heart in my mouth wondering what's going to happen next?

Following Winfred along an adventure from being a daughter to a lady's companion to a wife and then mother

[kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really enjoyable read that was well written with a fantastic story line and well developed characters.

I was hooked right from the very start, I couldn't put it down. It was absolutely gripping and was very clear that it had been well researched and seamlessly blended fact and fiction perfectly. It wasn't bogged down with facts and didn't feel like I was reading a textbook.

A great read

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 1600-1700s in London, France and Scotland.

Lady Winifred Maxwell is married to William. This is the story about her life and how she managed to free her husband from the Tower of London the day before he was due to be executed.

A well-written tale that was interesting and enjoyable. A lovely find on Kindle Unlimited.

[Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was easy to read, and with some interesting elements to it, but it seemed caught between fact and fiction. Information was delivered but there was little character development and a confusing list of people. Ultimately this detracted from the interest. So while fine it was rather two dimensional.

[Aileen Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not generally a period of history that is written about often. The attempt to get a Catholic king back on the English throne leads to a tale of bravery by one woman who has to deal with the unsettled times. An enjoyable novel.

[Alison Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably 3.5 stars! At times I found this hard going but overall was an able to enjoy the reading. Repetition of Christian names led to a bit of confusion at times but most characters were clearly presented. An ending that left some unknowns meaning I assumed what I thought may happen.

[Lesley Paris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy Read

I wanted a light easy read and this was it.
The plot was enough to keep me interested in the outcome, but not so heavy that it weighed me down.
Now I want to know about the true story!

[Helen Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a brilliant historical fiction book that reminded me how much I love the genre. A really interesting, tumultuous time period and a feisty, flawed, fascinating woman at the heart of the story. The birth scene brought tears to my eyes in more ways than one! Really enjoyed.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent historical fiction story. Also unusual in that it featured an English /Welsh Jacobite family whereas Jacobite tales usually centre on the Scottish Highlands. I did have a quibble that the North Loch in Edinburgh was actually known as the Nor’ Loch.

[Sarah Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the retelling of this tale. The characters were believable. The tale just kept on moving weaving an exciting plot. This is a remarkable tale of a woman who found her voice and made a difference despite her husbands idealism sometimes misplaced idealism.

[Andrea Gilmour · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good read.

[Gill · Rating 3 out of 5]

A readable historical novel based on a true event.