Sunday's Child (The Rockwood Chronicles #4) by Dilly Court
Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas, Victorian era, Romance
Read: 29th December 2023
Published: 23rd June 2022
★★★★★ 5 stars
DESCRIPTION:
Left on the steps of an orphanage when she was just days old, Nancy Sunday was brought up in hardship – until the kindly Rosalind Carey took her in. Now eighteen years old, Nancy is an adopted member of the Carey family. But she can’t help wondering who her parents really were…
When Nancy is sent away to finishing school, she finds herself in the midst of London society. There she meets Freddie Ashton – kind and warm-hearted, he might just be the man of Nancy’s dreams. But she knows his wealthy parents would never let him marry a penniless foundling.
And she has also caught the eye of another man – the charming and dangerous Gervase North, who has reasons of his own for discovering Nancy’s parentage.
Will Nancy ever find where she truly belongs?
Book Four of The Rockwood Chronicles
MY THOUGHTS:
The fourth installment of this exciting series set in the windswept rolling Devonshire hills, SUNDAY'S CHILD is where foundling Nancy Sunday shines. Admittedly, at the beginning of this tale I found myself rolling my eyes at having to endure Felicia de Marney once again as this time she took on a more prominent role in the first third of the book. And I was hoping that Nancy would escape her clutches and stand up to the woman who is nothing short of a self-obsessed bully when the mood takes her.
Nancy Sunday came into the series in the second book as a young child Rosalind Blanchard saved from a life of servitude at the cruel hands of the vicar's wife Tabitha Shaw. Rosie took pity on the poor little waif and took her under her wing, educated her and discovered that she was not as stupid as Mrs Shaw had proclaimed her to be. But rather she was very bright and eager to learn.
However, Nancy never quite knew where she fit in at Rockwood. Rosie insisted that she be treated as a member of the family while Hester frowned upon such airs and graces and believed she should be trained as and live with the servants. So it's not surprising in the opening chapter of this book that Rosie and Hester are arguing as to to value of Nancy being sent away to deportment school to become a lady. Rosie has always insisted she was a valued member of their family while Hester believed that it was above Nancy's station in life and as a foundling, she should live a life of servitude and be treated as such.
Rosie, of course, won out in the end as she usually does and Nancy was sent to London to the Academy where she was to become a lady. She was there four months before the school treated the ladies to a night at the opera at which Felicia de Marney was the star. Having reunited with young Nancy after her performance, Felicia decided that she would be a perfect candidate for her accompanist to play pianoforte to her singing and attending to whatever else she desires. She was not paid a wage but rather Felicia gave her food and lodgings and paid for a new wardrobe that was fitting for a woman in her company. And yet, Nancy was still considered a servant.
It was while she had been at the Academy that Nancy met Freddie Ashton, heir the Donnington title and estate in Somerset. He was the only child of Lord and Lady Donnington who had already matched him with an heiress that he had no intention of marrying and did not approve of the friendship forming between their son and a foundling, as it was now widely known. Felicia also did not approve of their friendship and discouraged her at every turn. It wasn't until they were staying at Donnington Park that Nancy had had enough of Felicia's treatment of her and stood her ground, packing her trunks and leaving Donnington for Rockwood, but not before Lady Donnington had her say and ordering her to leave at once.
Nancy finds herself once again at Rockwood somewhat rudderless and feeling as if she doesn't quite belong. She longs to know where she came from, about her mother and father, who they were and why she was left on the steps of the orphanage almost nineteen years before. But it's a chance meeting with one Gervase North who believes himself to be the rightful heir the Greystone title and estate that sets her on a path to discover the truth about her heritage. And nothing could prepare her, or anyone else, for what she would uncover.
With the exception of the horrid Felicia de Marney (I wish she would fall under a carriage), I thoroughly enjoyed this latest installment which was an improvement on the last one in which Patricia who, though she has now settled, is a little too much like her mother for my liking and I have never really warmed to her. I've always held a soft spot for Nancy and I was delighted that she had the opportunity to tell her story and to rightfully shine.
I can't wait to see what else Dilly has in store in the final two books "Snow Bride" (next) and "Dolly's Dream" (the final book).
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Dilly Court grew up in North-east London and began her career in television, writing scripts for commercials. She is married with two grown-up children and four grandchildren, and now lives in Dorset on the beautiful Jurassic Coast with her husband. She is the author of eighteen novels and also writes under the name of Lily Baxter.
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