title: Dark Aemilia: A Novel of Shakespeare's Dark Lady
author: Sally O'Reilly
description: OReillys American debut is an imaginative take on the life of poet Aemilia Layner, a contemporary of William Shakespeare. OReilly posits a lifelong love between the striking Aemilia and the famous bard, a relationship that inspired some of Shakespeares more passionate sonnets. Aemilia meets Will in 1592, when she is the mistress of the much older but kindly Lord Hunsdon. Taken by her beauty and wit, Will pursues her, and the two begin an affair that lasts until Aemilia becomes pregnant. Hunsdon thinks the child is his and arranges for her to marry her charming but feckless cousin Alonso. Will is devastated, but when he walks in on his patron, Wriothesley, raping Aemilia, he misinterprets the situation and believes she has been unfaithful to him. They part ways bitterly, but as the years go on, their paths cross again repeatedly, igniting the ever-present spark between them. Though some of OReillys suppositions feel like reachesparticularly Aemilias involvement with Macbeththis is a lively, vividly rendered novel about the dramatic life of an extraordinary woman. --Kristine Huntley
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  The Darkest Night
  
  
  (The Orien Trilogy, Book Two)
  
  
  Catherine Wilson
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Copyright @ 2016 by Catherine Wilson
  
  
  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions
  thereof.
  
  
  This book is a work of fiction. Any names, places, characters, and incidents
  are products of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any
  resemblance to actual persons, locales or events is entirely coincidental.
  
  
  Cover Design by Jane Dixon-Smith
  
  
  Edited by Cynthia Shepp
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  For my husband, Jody, my real-life handsome prince.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “And though she be but little, she is fierce.”
  
  
  William Shakespeare
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Contents
  
  
  [Title Page](part0000.html#a__Toc464458354)
  
  
  [Contents](part0004.html#a__Toc464458357)
  
  
  [One](part0005.html#a__Toc464458358)
  
  
  [Two](part0006.html#a__Toc464458359)
  
  
  [Three](part0007.html#a__Toc464458360)
  
  
  [Four](part0008.html#a__Toc464458361)
  
  
  [Five](part0009.html#a__Toc464458362)
  
  
  [Six](part0010.html#a__Toc464458363)
  