The Shadow Queen. Anne O'Brien

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Ebook Edition © May 2017 ISBN: 9781474050739

Version: 2019-04-12

For George, as ever, my love and my thanks for his cheerful tolerance of all things medieval. His appreciation of Joan of Kent’s wayward lifestyle was often more balanced than mine. The Fair Maid owes him a debt of gratitude too.

‘…the most beautiful lady in the whole realm of England, and by far the most amorous.’

Jean Froissart

‘…concerning whose birth (Richard II) many unsavoury things were commonly said (of her), namely that he was not born to a father of the royal line, but of a mother given to slippery ways – to say nothing of many other things I have heard.’

The Chronicle of Adam Usk 1377-1421

‘The gentle prince married… a lady of great renown, who kindled love in him, in that she was beauteous, charming and discreet.’

Chandos Herald

‘Prudence teaches the princess or great lady how above all things in this base world she ought to love honour and good reputation.’

Christine de Pisan

Contents