title: A Perfect Plan: Helena's Stories: Britannia, Vol. I (Volume 1)
author:  Carolyn Melander Osborne 
description: It would be a perfect to plan to read<b><i>A Perfect Plan</i></b>at the beach thissummer! It could be described as a 'girl meets boy, girl loves boy, girland boy marry' book...but that would not do it justice, not by a long shot.<br />  First, the setting--the1780s in rural England--is enthralling. But farmore than that: the writing is exquisite, the characters attractive, thehistoric detail superb. One is transported into the daily life of theBritish village of Burnham Thorpe in Norfolk.Kitty Nelson, her father the Reverend Nelson and Kitty's oldersister Nancy, spring alive in the very first pages of the book and theirinterests and personalities keep one magnetized to the very end. Indeed,one is disappointed at having reached the last page--one is left thirstingfor more!<br />  Back to the detail: do you know why a letter was"cross-written",and what that means? Have you ever trod a 'glebe',dressed in 'Resham silk', put a kettle on the 'hob',slipped a 'gimmal'ring on your finger,watched an 'avocet' run along the edge of foam on abeach? All of that and more, much more, as the author immerses us ineveryday English village life two centuries ago.<br />  A joy to read. One canonly hope that the phrase on the cover which reads "Helena's Stories:Britannia,Vol. I" is a promise of volumes yet to come. I await them withanticipation!<br />--Alexander H. ter Weele(author of, among others,<b><i>We</i></b><b><i>Escaped A Family's Flight from Holland during WorldWar Two</i></b><b>)</b><br /><br /><br />I... LOVED it. You have the period downvery well and I loved the charactersand the story you've imagined.Greatjob!<br />--Caryn Moya Block (author of the<b><i>Moon Kissed Romance</i></b>books)<br /><br />I love it! The detail about daily English life and place is very rewarding and engrossing. These are real people, and I was really pulled into the story of Kitty and her family.These characters are beautifully drawn and are very endearing.<br />--Susan Collins
zlib_text: # A MAID OF THE SILVER SEA
  
  ### BY
  
  ## JOHN OXENHAM
  
  ##### WITH FRONTISPIECE IN COLOUR BY HAROLD COPPING
  
  ###### Hodder and Stoughton Warwick Square, London, E.C.
  
  ##### 1910
  
  * * *
  
  * * *
  
  ##### TO  
  MY FRIEND  
  EDWARD BAKER  
  OF LA CHAUMIERE, SARK  
    
  ON WHOSE MOST HOSPITABLE AND SUPREMELY  
  COMFORTABLE VERANDAH, LOOKING OUT  
  TO THE FAIR COAST OF FRANCE, THIS  
  STORY WAS PARTLY WRITTEN, I  
  INSCRIBE THE SAME IN REMEMBRANCE  
  OF MANY  
  DELIGHTFUL DAYS  
  TOGETHER
  
  * * *
  
  ##  CONTENTS
  
  [ **CHAPTER I** ](text00000.html#filepos0000010679) | HOW TWO LAY IN A CLEFT  
  ---|---  
  [ **CHAPTER II** ](text00000.html#filepos0000023283) | HOW NANCE CAME TO BE
  HERSELF  
  [ **CHAPTER III** ](text00000.html#filepos0000045604) | HOW THE NEW MINE
  CAPTAIN CAME  
  [ **CHAPTER IV** ](text00000.html#filepos0000051948) | HOW GARD MADE NEW
  ACQUAINTANCES  
  [ **CHAPTER V** ](text00000.html#filepos0000071777) | HOW NANCE SHONE THROUGH
  HER MODEST  
  VEILING  
  [ **CHAPTER VI** ](text00000.html#filepos0000085509) | 