Product Description

A desperate childhood. An uncertain past. One chance at happiness ...Born into poverty and living under the roof of her violent and abusive brother-in-law, young Kitty Cox dreams of working in a women's dress shop in the West End - a million miles away from the reality of her life as a mud-lark, scavenging on the banks of the Thames. Fate soon intervenes and Kitty finds herself working as a skivvy for Sir Desmond and Lady Arabella Mableton in Mayfair. Bullied by the kitchen maids, Kitty is soon taken under Lady Arabella's wing and for the first time in her life Kitty dares to hope. But Lady 'Bella' has a secret and unable to live with her domineering husband she decides to leave, fighting for custody of their daughter, Leonie. Kitty will do anything for her mistress but her loyalty is severely tested as all their lives are thrown into turmoil and Kitty faces a life of poverty and hardship in the slums of the East End once more ...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #51279 in Books
• Published on: 2006-04-20
• Original language: English
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 432 pages

From the Publisher
A GRIPPING AND ULTIMATELY UPLIFTING SAGA SET IN TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY LONDON FROM A WONDERFUL NEW TALENT ...

From the Inside Flap
Born into poverty and living under the roof of her violent and abusive brother-in-law, young Kitty Cox dreams of working in a women’s dress shop in the West End – a million miles away from the reality of her life as a mud-lark, scavenging on the banks of the Thames.

Fate soon intervenes and Kitty finds herself working as a skivvy for Sir Desmond and Lady Arabella Mableton in Mayfair.Bullied by the kitchen maids, Kitty is soon taken under Lady Arabella’s wing and for the first time in her life Kitty dares to hope.

But Lady ‘Bella’ has a secret and unable to live with her domineering husband she decides to leave, fighting for custody of their daughter, Leonie.Kitty will do anything for her mistress but her loyalty is severely tested as all their lives are thrown into turmoil and Kitty faces a life of poverty and hardship in the slums of the East End once more ...

£18.99

From the Back Cover
Born into poverty and living under the roof of her violent and abusive brother-in-law, young Kitty Cox dreams of working in a women’s dress shop in the West End – a million miles away from the reality of her life as a mud-lark, scavenging on the banks of the Thames.

Fate soon intervenes and Kitty finds herself working as a skivvy for Sir Desmond and Lady Arabella Mableton in Mayfair.Bullied by the kitchen maids, Kitty is soon taken under Lady Arabella’s wing and for the first time in her life Kitty dares to hope.

But Lady ‘Bella’ has a secret and unable to live with her domineering husband she decides to leave, fighting for custody of their daughter, Leonie.Kitty will do anything for her mistress but her loyalty is severely tested as all their lives are thrown into turmoil and Kitty faces a life of poverty and hardship in the slums of the East End once more ...

£5.

Customer Reviews

Dilly triumphs again
Kitty Cox's world turns upside down when she is raped by her brother in law, her older sister Maggie sends her away so he doesnt do it again. A neighbour takes her in and finds her a post in the kichen of a large house, but she is bullied by two housemaids daily, a chance meeting with the lady of the house sees her taken above stairs as the nanny, the master of the house is a bully to his wife, who only married him for security, she falls in love with his son and ends up having to leave the house and go back to the halls where she used to sing living with kitty in her neighbours house.......there is so much to fit in and not enough space....someone different happends to each of them every chapter, which makes compelling reading, try and see you will NOT be disappointed

The first of Dilly Court's Books and Wow! What a Start...!
This is the first book from Dilly Court and Wow! what a way to start! A compelling read that keeps you hooked from the first page to the last. Dilly draws you into Victorian London with such vivid descriptions and with such skill that you really feel like you're living there with the characters.

Kitty is born into poverty but with a lot of determination and a little bit of luck she manages to change her life for the better. She is a superb example of determination, dedication and hard work and a role model for any young women growing up today.

Dilly Court's books appeal to all generations and should be a must read for all young people so they can visualise how hard life was for poor people in Victorian times.

Superb, compelling, exciting, thrilling, laughter, tears, and as with all Dilly Court's books, it certainly kept me hooked!

mermaids singing by Dilly Court
I cannot recommend anything written by this author highly enough as exceptionally good story and very easy to read, you will find that you cannot put the book down once you have started reading it. Long may she continue to write these books for us to read.