The Spymaster's Daughter
Read The Spymaster's Daughter Online
Authors: Jeane Westin
Praise for the Novels
of Jeane Westin
His Last Letter
“[B]eautiful scenes and a fast-moving yet easy to follow story lineâ¦it is a testament to Westin's writing that when we reach the end of this tale, we've become so wrapped in the story and the characters that we can feel Elizabeth's pain almost as keenly as she does.
His Last Letter
is guaranteed to be a pleasure for anyone who has even a passing interest in history or historical figures.”
âFiction Addict
“This realistic, well-researched portrait of Elizabeth answers questions about her lifelong friendship with Dudleyâher “Sweet Robin” and beloved “eye.” Westin walks a fine line, depicting the sweetness and sadness of Elizabeth's middle years, when political turmoil supersedes personal needs. Her lively storytelling and remarkably real characters make for compelling reading.”
â
Romantic Times
“Engaging, heartfelt, and touching.”
âPassages to the Past
“I thoroughly enjoyed this novelâ¦. This book will have you smiling and crying; it grabs you, draws you in, and tears at your heartstrings. It is a joy to read and I now want to repeat the experience and read it all over again!”
âThe Anne Boleyn Files
“With hundreds of books already written about Elizabeth's life, it's a challenge for any author to come up with something new. But Jeane Westin does it with her novel about Elizabeth's affair with Robert Dudley.”
â
am New York
“A captivating and powerful love story set against the backdrop of a perilous time in Elizabeth's reign. Westin brings Elizabeth and Dudley's tempestuous relationship vividly to lifeâ¦. I cannot recommend this book highly enough!”
âOn the Tudor Trail
The Virgin's Daughters
“This is a Tudor novel not to be missedâ¦well told and well researchedâ¦. What might have been merely two love stories truly became history brought to life. Highly recommended.”
â
Historical Novels Review
(Editor's Choice)
“Takes the reader on a poignant journey into the hearts and minds of three dynamic Elizabethan women, including the queen herselfâ¦a compelling, unforgettable historical novel.”
âKaren Harper, author of
Mistress of Mourning
“Two well-crafted love stories set against the backdrop of the court of Elizabeth the First create high drama and at the same time paint an unforgettable portrait of the last Tudor monarch.”
âKate Emerson, author of
At the King's Pleasure
“Vivid characters and compelling dialogue illuminate the Elizabethan court, where danger lurks in the shadows, love can be treason, and every step could be the last. You'll find yourself looking over your shoulder in this engrossing read.”
âSandra Worth, author of
The King's Daughter
“Westin has brought the Elizabethan court vividly to life. Her heroines walk a delicious knife edge between love and disaster. I couldn't put it down.”
âAnne Gracie, author of
Bride by Mistake
“Westin knows her history, and the inner workings of her characters' minds as well. She presents Elizabeth I through the eyes of two of her ladies-in-waiting. Rich, colorful details of court life, captivating characters with suppressed sexuality, scandal, and intrigue thrust the reader into the era in this top-notch novel.”
â
Romantic Times
(4½ stars)
“[A] fantastic storyâ¦here is a unique approach to showing us more of Queen Elizabeth. I loved the way the author weaves two stories into this look at the queenâboth distinctly separate, yet still connectedâ¦utterly fascinating and a must for everyone to read.”
âThe Romance Reviews
O
THER
N
OVELS BY
J
EANE
W
ESTIN
His Last Letter
The Virgin's Daughters
The
SPYMASTER'S
DAUGHTER
J
EANE
W
ESTIN
NEW AMERICAN LIBRARY
NEW AMERICAN LIBRARY
Published by New American Library, a division of
Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street,
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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices:
80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
First published by New American Library,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
First Printing, August 2012
10Â Â 9Â Â 8Â Â 7Â Â 6Â Â 5Â Â 4Â Â 3Â Â 2Â Â 1
Copyright © Jeane Westin, 2012
Readers Guide copyright © Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 2012
Excerpt from
His Last Letter
copyright © Jeane Westin, 2010
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
REGISTERED TRADEMARKâMARCA REGISTRADA
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA:
Westin, Jeane Eddy.
   The spymaster's daughter / Jeane Westin.
       p.  cm.
   ISBN: 978-1-101-59439-1
   1. Courts and courtiersâFiction. 2. Great BritainâHistoryâElizabeth, 1558â1603âFiction. I. Title.
   PS3573.E89S69 2012
   813'.54âdc23                    2012013110
Set in Adobe Garamond
Designed by Ginger Legato
Printed in the United States of America
PUBLISHER'S NOTE
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.
ALWAYS LEARNING
PEARSON
To my husband, Gene, and my daughter, Cara.
In the end family is everything.
CKNOWLEDGMENTS
As always I acknowledge with gratitude the help of Shirley Parenteau as first reader. Her encouragement and friendship are invaluable and I can't imagine being without them. And with thanks to Georgia Bockoven, novelist and renowned wildlife photographer, who brings me a dose of reality when I'm too high and lifts me up when I'm going in the wrong direction.
And to Lady Ashley Lucas, computer whiz, who periodically untangles my program problems on a machine that continues to mystify me after so many years.
My sincere thanks to all the antique book dealers in the U.S. and U.K. who collect and make available old books and manuscripts, without which novels like this one would be far more difficult and much less fun.
Lastly, to my ever-encouraging agent, Danielle Egan-Miller. And to the very best editor an author could have, Ellen Edwardsâher fame is deserved.
The
SPYMASTER'S
DAUGHTER
CHAPTER ONE