The Return to Castlebridge Hall.

The Return to Castlebridge Hall.

Another month... another novel! On this occasion I decided to revisit an old stamping ground; the fantasy world of Castlebridge Hall. It's been a while since I last took my readers through the gates to the old Hall and I've had a couple of tentative requests for a return. The little world of Castlebridge Hall has been a quiet favourite with quite a few of my readers and I had thought for a while of repaying their loyalty with a fifth book in the series. In the end I wrote this new episode almost by accident.

I was actually working on a third novel in the Castello Santa Maria series and, I'm afraid to say, getting nowhere fast. I'd hit one of those blocks where I just couldn't see where the story was going. After staring blankly at the computer for nearly a week, I decided to lay the story aside to ferment and move on to something else. I thought about a new Castlebridge Hall novel but I was also thinking of a return to St Margaret Clitheroe's girls' boarding school to catch up with my eponymous heroine, Michaela. In the event, it occurred to me that I could do both.

I had already linked the Castlebridge Hall and St Margaret's stories in earlier episodes. Michaela had even made a cameo appearance in the fourth Castlebridge Hall novel; disgracing herself drinking with her cronies at the Market Snedworth country show and coming to Lord Castlebridge's attention. It was also revealed in that novel that Lady Castlebridge herself was a graduate of St Margaret's school as was the new stables' head, Rachel. I thought it would be terrific fun then to link Her Ladyship's old and disreputable schoolgirl days with the present and have some of her youthful indiscretions come back to haunt her.

There was another story line to tidy up as well. The fourth novel had seen the ultimate demise of the infamous head housekeeper, the “Black Widow” herself, Mrs Moorhouse. That evil old witch had been sent packing with a monumental thrashing to her name and, as yet, there was no replacement for her. This proves to be a source of disgruntlement to the butler, Greenwood. Not only does he find himself having to fill the role of housekeeper as well as his own duties but, also, the lack of leadership in the housekeeping department has resulted in a shockingly lowered standard of discipline among the Hall's maids who are all too willing to take advantage of the absence of supervision. The poor overworked Greenwood therefore finds himself continually having the burden of caning assorted maids added to his increasingly onerous responsibilities.

Lord Castlebridge, thoroughly distracted by the pleasures of his new private secretary, seems a little negligent in appointing a new housekeeper but, eventually, finds somebody he hopes will prove suitable; a grim Scottish lady of dour demeanour and a belief in strict discipline. Unfortunately, His Lordship is the only person who considers this particularly unattractive woman at all suitable. Lady Castlebridge is frankly horrified. It turns out that the candidate for the position is a strict Scottish Presbyterian who considers it a personal crusade to stamp out the evil of same sex relationships. Her Ladyship is quite aware that any attempt to curb the Hall's housemaids in their sexual and romantic dalliances with each other will likely lead to all out mutiny among the servant ranks. In collusion with Greenwood, therefore, she has to find some way to head off this Scottish ogre at the pass while desperately trying to find somebody else more agreeable to fill the position.

Even while racking her brains for some solution however, Her Ladyship receives a visitor; an old school friend. This friend is organising a class reunion from their school days. Unfortunately, the venue booked for this shindig has suffered a fire and had to cancel the event. Perhaps unwisely, Lady Castlebridge magnanimously offers to host the reunion at Castlebridge Hall. This results in the old ghosts of St Margaret's re-entering her life with old lovers and friends coming to the Hall to remind her of her past sins and the painful consequences of them and providing a delicious glance at the shady school days past of the Mistress of Castlebridge Hall.

Interwoven into this rich mix is the current St Margaret's student body in the person of the incorrigible Michaela Francis. Michaela reappears in this story although, sad to relate, not in any way that does much in the way of credit to her and will earn her yet another well deserved thrashing on the end of Miss Pearson's cane. At her old reunion, Lady Castlebridge will revisit an old love affair, Rachel Crawford's past failings will catch up with her and it will be yet another day to remember in the venerable history of the old Hall.

I hope that all the fans of the Castlebridge Hall sage will thoroughly enjoy this new episode among old familiar friends and newcomers. If it is as much fun to read as it was to write then I shall count myself content.

You can find the book here;

http://www.a1adultebooks.com/ebooks/b12203-last-of-the-summer-cane.htm


Enjoy.

Michaela