Ireland, 1152
The King of Leinster, awaiting news of his newborn child, is disappointed to hear he has a daughter. Diarmait MacMurchada wanted another strapping son to shoulder a spear, wield a sword, and protect his kingdom. But the moment Diarmait holds tiny Aoife in his arms, he realises she would be his most precious treasure.
1166
Forced into exile Aoife and her family find themselves at the mercy of Henry II. Aoife, aware of her beauty but not its power, intrigues and beguiles Henry in equal measure. He agrees to help her father, an alliance that leads the MacMurchadas to the charistmatic Richard de Clare, a man dissatisfied with his lot and open to new horizons.
Diarmait promises Richard Aoife’s hand in marriage in return for his aid in Ireland, but Aoife has her own thoughts on the matter. She may be a prize, but she is not a pawn, and she will play the men at their own game. For herself, for her family, and for her country.
The Irish Princess by Elizabeth Chadwick is published on 12 September, 2019.
Read Elizabeth’s Historia feature, Lost and found: remembering William Marshal, the Greatest Knight, about the hero of her last book, Templar Silks.
