The Second Son

By Vonnie Hughes

John, a second son, is destined for a life in the army, a prospect he dreads. His older brother, Spencer, has spent years crowing about how he plans to run things when he becomes head of the Trewbridge family. Now the lady John loves has become affianced to Spencer. John is second best again.
Marguerite Ninian has been crippled from birth. She has no prospects unless working as a drudge for her aunt could be called 'prospects.'
When John and Marguerite meet, fur flies. John, unhappy and disillusioned, advises Marguerite that instead of feeling sorry for herself, she should remember the injured soldiers who have had limbs amputated. Not an auspicious beginning.
Then the Marchioness of Trewbridge tosses John a lifeline and thanks to John's suggestion, the Marchioness also offers Marguerite real prospects.
Cautiously John and Marguerite feel their way towards the future until Spencer implodes and smashes the family apart.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Musa Publishing
• Release date: Dec 30, 2011
• ISBN: 9781619379176

Vonnie Hughes

Vonnie’s family members were born in New Zealand and now live in Australia. As with many writers, she began writing stories during middle childhood. Over time she won a bunch of writing contests, garnering a variety of prizes that included a pony, cash and an overseas trip. When she looks back over her family tree, she can see why the compulsion to write is inherent. Her employment has usually involved writing in one shape or form e.g. composing resumés, compiling technical books and drafting legal documents. She has accrued an eclectic group of useless qualifications such as a radio announcer’s diploma, a diploma in journalism/creative writing, the major part of a Diploma in Business, part of a Bachelor of Arts degree and an interior decorating diploma. Vonnie has settled into writing two genres – historicals and contemporary suspense although all her writing includes mysteries of some sort or another. She loves the two-faced restrictive Victorian lifestyle, the intricacies of the social rules of the Regency period and the far-ranging consequences of the Napoleonic Code. When writing suspense, she can give free rein to her fascination with forensic matters and the weird convolutions of the human mind.