Saturday, November 21, 2009

Free From Fear


Free From Fear is #120 in the Bantam Series that was illustrated by Francis Marshall and was published in May 1980. It is the story of Yolanda and her brother, who kills a man in a duel. They run away to France, which in 1803, is relatively at peace after the revolution. They decide to masquerade as married servants and get a job with an actress who is interested in the Duke of Ilkeston. Romance, plots, and spies fill this terrific romance of Barbara Cartland's!

Francis Marshall illustrates our couple in an outside waterfront scene. Our hero helps the heroine into a rowboat, which is going to take them to England and safety! She wears a typical white muslin day dress with a large sash. The scarf would have been used by servants instead of a hat or bonnet. Our hero wears a long coat and boots. Note the other people: the official on the dock and the oarsman in the boat. They wear the clothing of their station.

France in 1803 was in a time of calm, but before and after they would be at war with England. People of French heritage and English visitors were caught when war broke out and had to stay in France. The lucky ones managed to escape across the channel.

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