A family as wild-blooded and unconventional as the Lovedays attracts scandals in many quarters of their lives. Adam is back at sea striving to establish himself as captain merchantman of his own ship and restore the finances of the shipyard run by his father. St John has been banished to America and those left behind struggle to survive in the face of fresh scandals and shocking revelations.

Japhet Loveday has fled to London to forget the heartache of his love affair with the Cornish heiress, Gwendolyn Druce. Cast adrift, he finds himself drawn into the dangerous world of the city's gambling dens and, when he runs out of money, turns to highway robbery to make a living. As his life continues to spiral out of control he seeks comfort in an affair with the avaricious and manipulative actress Celestine Yorke. But by winning Celestine he has won the enmity of her former lover Sir Pettigrew Osgood. When Gwendolyn arrives in London, Celestine's ardour soon turns to obsessive jealously, and Japhet realises too late that she is not a woman easily scorned. Has Japhet ruined his chances to win Gwendolyn's love or will Celestine's spite destroy him?

Meanwhile, in Cornwall, the head of the Loveday family is discovering for himself the meaning of the words 'marry in haste, repent at leisure'. His new wife Amelia has no intention of tolerating the scandals which now rock the family - not the least of which is the unexpected arrival of Edward's illegitimate daughter, Tamasine. Also the instability of their French cousin Lisette whose mind has been unhinged by her ordeal in France brings further scandal to the family.

Can the Loveday's rise above the new turmoil which seems set to finally tear them apart? When a long running vendetta from an enemy of Adam and St John drags Edward into conflict with the excise men and local smugglers Edward could lose more than just his reputation…

Extract from The Loveday Scandals

 

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