Fresh from his defeat of King Harold at the Battle of Hastings, William of Normandy has returned home in triumph, accompanied by the English nobles he cannot trust to leave behind. For Waltheof of Huntingdon, however, rebellion is not at the forefront of his thoughts. From the moment he catches sight of Judith, daughter of the King's formidable sister, he knows he has found his future wife.
When Waltheof saves Judith's life, it is clear that the attraction is mutual. But marriage has little to do with love in medieval Europe. When William refuses to let the couple wed, Waltheof joins forces with his fellow rebels in an uprising against the King. William brutally crushes the rebellion but realises that Waltheof cannot be ignored; marrying him to his niece, he decides, is the perfect way to keep him in check. But is the match between Saxon earl and Norman lady one made in heaven or hell?
Based on an astonishing true story of honour, treachery and love, 'The Winter Mantle' is historical fiction at its very best.
