Just Causes

The year 1625 is a plague year, and when Alice Edwards inherits land, predatory neighbours close in with marriage in mind. But Alice, aided by local blacksmith Daniel Bunting, is confident of managing her land, as well as caring for Sam, a child orphaned by the plague. Alice side-steps plans to trap her into wedlock, and instead pursues her growing suspicions that the death of hated local merchant Rupert Cazanove was not from plague. Fuelled by the neighbours, old jealousies surface. Alice finds herself plunged into scandal, and when Daniel abruptly returns to his forge, she becomes increasingly isolated. Threatened by a local ruffian, Alice is eventually forced to choose between the safety of a loveless marriage and the danger to young Sam and herself of remaining independent. And all the while Alice has been pursuing a trail of discovery that will lead to more answers than who killed Rupert Cazanove. Set against the background of 17th century Dorset, twenty-year old Alice is the only child of farming stock. Capable, determined and impetuous, Alice makes a journey of self-discovery to find a solution to her troubles as simple as it is impulsive.