an attempt to control his son, John Winthrop forces Harry to come to New England with him. In a final act of recklessness, Harry drowns when he attempts to jump in and swim. Elizabeth is left a pregnant widow. After she gives birth to her daughter (Martha), she, Jack, Martha, and John Winthrop's wife, Margaret, all depart for Massachusetts. In the strict colony in the New World, Elizabeth runs into more trouble than ever. On her uncle's suggestion, Elizabeth marries Robert Feake, a weak-willed and strangely disturbed man who often has nightmares and commits odd deeds in his sleep. She also attempts to befriend Anne Hutchinson and chooses a tainted Indian woman, Telaka, for her maid. Eventually, Elizabeth and Robert are driven out of their house in Watertown because the other colonists believe Telaka to be a witch. The Feakes then settle in Greenwich in the colony of New Haven. After run-ins with Indians, Elizabeth and the other leader of the town, Daniel Patrick, join Greenwich to the Dutch colony of New Netherland. After Daniel Patrick is murdered by an old enemy, Elizabeth's husband, Robert, becomes completely mad and attempts to return to England. Meanwhile, Joan marries Thomas Lyons, who turns out to be a prospective gold-digger. When William Hallet, a previous acquaintance of Elizabeth's, begins courting her and gains more and more control over the Feake household, Lyons grows jealous. Finally, Elizabeth and her lover are accused of adultery after not having married properly under English law, and all their lands are confiscated. Elizabeth and William Hallet hide under the protection of Jack Winthrop, who is now an important member of another town in Connecticut. After Jack does all he can for his cousin and ex-lover, Elizabeth and William Hallet are once more free to move back to Greenwich, where Indians then set their house afire. Elizabeth and William Hallet have no choice but to start anew once more, their hearts heavy but their wills strengthened. Reception Kirkus Reviews described it as "an absorbing story, in which the happenings grow out of the characters -- all too rare an attribute when the author is bound by integrity to historical fact". Subsequent editions Philippa Gregory wrote a foreword for the 2006 edition. A 2014 audiobook read by Corrie James received a starred review from Library Journal. References 1958 American novels American historical novels Novels by Anya Seton Novels set in