House at Harcourt

by Anita Burgh

"Anita has the storyteller's gift" DAILY EXPRESS At the age of three, Eliza Forester is left motherless when her father orders his wife from the house, accusing her of infidelity. He keeps the child out of spite, telling her that her mother is dead. This is the story of a woman who loses everything - the man she loves, her inheritance, her child, and nearly her sanity - due to those who should love, not hate her. But Eliza Forester is determined to lose neither her spirit nor her soul.

Genres: Historical Fiction

384 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2002

About the author

Anita Burgh was born in Kent. She began to write in her late forties and was first published at the age of 50. She has subsequently had 23 novels published, numerous articles and short stories. Her themes are those of class, rejection and wealth. She writes books set in the modern world but also historical novels set in Victorian and Edwardian times – her latest being The Cresswell Inheritance trilogy. She has been a member of the RNA for many years, was a committee member and has been short-listed for the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year award. Now in her 70s, she enjoys teaching and mentoring others who are, as yet, unpublished. She continues to write novels, proving that authors never retire.

Reviews

[Paula Dembeck · Rating 2 out of 5]

This sweeping historical novel takes place in 1859 in Devon, in the large English Manor house known as Harcourt Barton. Eliza is an only child and lives with her wealthy aristocratic father and the mother she adores. But when she is just three years old, her mother suddenly disappears and her father tells her she has died. In fact, what he has done is banished her from their home after accusing her unjustly of adultery. When she left, he refused to allow her to take Eliza with her, not because he loved his daughter and wanted to keep her close, but because he wanted to punish his wife and cause her more pain.

Eliza is devastated by her loss. She is left to ramble around the large estate full of servants but soon develops friendships with the people who work there. Ruby is one of the servants who becomes her friend and Eliza also gets to know her brother Jerome who is a farmer in the master’s fields. Eliza and Jerome’s relationship gradually develops into love and when Eliza is sixteen she tells her father she intends to marry him. He is furious at this unthinkable suggestion and in response sends her to live with her aunt in London.

Later he later lies to her, tells her Jerome has married and arranges a match for her with Hedworth Lambton, a fake penniless aristocrat who steals money from her estate and almost kills her. But following the trajectory of many Victorian tales things eventually end on a better note, Eliza finds her mother, reconciles with her father before his death, and reunites with Jerome.

Burg fills her story with all the elements expected in historical Victorian fiction. She describes how the poor worked the fields of their masters with little to show for it. Their children had few clothes, often had to work instead of attending school, were without medical care if they became sick and led lives with little hope. The tenants were powerless against their masters, were sometimes charged with offences they did not commit, but had no recourse to justice. The lords took the food from the land his famers cultivated and had servants to care for his farm animals and horses. The manor house was fully staffed with maids, housekeepers, laundrywomen and cooks. There were governesses to teach and care for the lord’s children and handmaidens to assist the wives and ladies with their clothing and hair. The women were treated as chattels, owned by the lord and treated like his staff. In this strictly ordered society, power was all in the hands of those who had money and titles and the appearance of respectable and proper behavior was more important than the fact of it.

Like characters in Victorian tales, many of the characters in this story reflect little nuance, portrayed as either very good or very bad. I found the novel a little overdone, predictable and melodramatic, but those who enjoy stories from this era may appreciate it more than I did.

[Cheryll · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is why I love reading! Great characters (nice and evil) and an excellent plot. I'm so glad I wasn't a woman living in those days! It certainly wasn't the ending I was expecting!

[Mags · Rating 3 out of 5]

the first book I have read by this author, characters were all interesting.

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it is the first I have read of this author. I found it easy to read, and hard to put down towards the end. I felt for the hardship of the characters, while at times was annoyed by Elizas stupidity, but it was appropriate for her characters age and experience. I recommend it.

[Susan Davey]

Really Enjoyed, loved the way Anita Burgh writes, wanting to read all her books.

[Helene]

Meh