The Black Pearl by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

I first began to read Miss Harrod-Eagles chronicle of the Morland familly of Yorkshire in 1997 and continued up to volume 12 in 1998 and then for reasons that escape me now I stopped. Deciding that a break of 12 years is quite long enough I have begun to re-read starting at volume 5 in case I do not live long enough to get to the end. In The Black Pearl we join the Morland familly at the end of Cromwell's rule. They are in reduced circumstances as a result of vicious fines and confiscations levied on them by the republican government but by hard work and determination manage to hold what is left of their estates together. The Restoration leads to some, but not all, of their lands returning to them and at a time when death from disease haunts every familly the Morlands are not immune. The young, beautiful but illegitimate Annunciata Morland is presented at Court where she finds love, danger and the answer to her mysterious background. I have already obtained volume six.