About the Book
London, 1641: Mass protests are gaining traction across the City of London. Undeterred, King Charles insists on pushing forward with the Church reforms initiated by his recently imprisoned Archbishop of Canterbury, William Laud.
Thomas Juxon, a Merchant Taylor and member of a well-respected City family, is as angry as the next man about the addition of Papist ornaments to the churches. But when he becomes involved in one of the protests, it doesn’t go unnoticed. Not least by his uncle, the Bishop of London.
Seeking to calm tensions, Dame Esther Price, the family matriarch, invites members from all branches of the family to an afternoon junket. They need reminding that standards are to be maintained … and that the king needs their support.
Although many of the guests agree, there are others who side with Parliament, and Thomas, for one, refuses to be swayed.
Thomas’s sister, Mistress Sarah Wagstaffe, is also at the junket. More interested in studying the decor of Dame Esther’s mansion than she is in politics, she finds herself sitting with Mistress Helen Juxon, the young wife of her uncle. As they talk, she learns that Helen’s relationship with Dame Esther is not all it seems.
When Thomas finds out, he becomes intrigued. Who is this woman? And how did she end up marrying into the family?
With a sense of curiosity, he starts asking questions, but as details are revealed, he realises that Mistress Helen’s past is more complicated than any of them realise.
As tensions in the City continue to build, Thomas seeks to unravel the threads of deception that brought Helen to London. Can he uncover the truth? And if he does, what does he do with it?
Three Families is the first book in The Merchants of London series. The storyline continues into book 2 and beyond…
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