The Lady of the Tower

Orphaned Lucy St. John, described as "the most beautiful of all", defies English society by attracting the eye of the Earl of Suffolk. In 1609, the court of James I is a place of glittering pageantry and cutthroat ambition, when the most dangerous thing one can do is fall in love. Lucy's envious sister Barbara is determined to ruin her happiness and drives Lucy into exile from the court. Heartbroken, she has to find her own path through life, becoming mistress of the Tower of London and gaining a fortune through the patronage of the Duke of Buckingham. But with great wealth comes betrayal, leaving Lucy to fight for her survival - and her honor - in a world of deceit and debauchery. Elizabeth St. John tells this dramatic story of love, betrayal, and loyalty through the eyes of her ancestor Lucy and her family's surviving diaries, letters, and court papers.