Jean Plaidy, also known to her legion of fans as Victoria Holt, will delight her fans with this, the sixth book in her well-written, fifteen book Plantagenet saga. As are all her books in the popular Plantagenet series, this one is a replete with vividly drawn historical events and persons. The author weaves a stirring medieval tapestry, focusing on the wife of King Henry III of England, Eleanor of Provence…Eleanor, a headstrong, and imperious woman, won the heart of King Henry III, turning him into the most uxorious of husbands. A weak king, he was the most devoted of husbands, happiest when he could be with his Queen and their family. Eleanor, although a devoted mother to their children, led Henry by the nose, making insatiable demands upon the exchequer for money, jewels, luxurious clothing, and lavish gifts for her and her family from Provence. The besotted king was more than happy to grant his beloved wife’s desires, even at great cost to his subjects, who despised this greedy Queen from Provence, known for her wild extravagance. She, in turn, would despise her subjects, treating them with contempt and seeing them only as a source of unlimited funds…