The American Revolution is finally over, and Sophie Menzies is starved for good news. When her nearest neighbor, General Seamus Ogilvy, finally comes home to Tall Acre, she hopes it is a sign of better days to come. But the general is now a widower with a small daughter in desperate need of a mother. Nearly destitute, Sophie agrees to marry Seamus and become the mistress of Tall Acre in what seems a safe, sensible arrangement. But when a woman from the general’s past returns without warning, the ties that bind this fledgling family together will be strained to the utmost. When all is said and done, who will be the rightful mistress of Tall Acre?
The Mistress of Tall Acre: A Novel
Frantz’ characterization of Sophie and Seamus is excellent. The pair make a great couple. Their romantic longings are clear and yet modestly described. Despite it all, their ties are not physical but are based on much deeper reasonings, making this book rank far above most romantic stories. The great lessons and historic research only up this ranking.
Having been in Williamsburg, Virginia, only last week, another aspect of the setting excited me. Several specific historical places were named in the story that I saw last week. Raleigh Tavern and Bruton Parish Church are still on the Duke of Gloucester Street, where it’s easy to imagine how life must have looked and smelled and been all those centuries ago. Reading about those places in this story brought it all to life again and made the story that much more exciting for me.
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