“Lovely book-read it long ago-beautifully woven characters, thrilling, suspense-filled till the end!”
“I read Mary Stewart's books again every couple of years. They are like old friends. I love this one a lot. My favorite of her books of this type is The Ivy Tree. Another fave is Thunder On The Right.”
“The nine coaches are a reference to "The Revenger's Tragedy, by Thomas Middleton (c 1580 - 1627):(Vindici, pretending to tempt his sister)Oh, think upon the pleasure of the palace:Secured ease and state, the stirring meats,Ready to move out of the dishes,That e'en now quicken when they're eaten,Banquets abroad by torch-light, musics, sports,Bare-headed vassals that had ne'er the fortuneTo keep on their own hats but let horns [wear] 'em,Nine coaches waiting. Hurry, hurry, hurry!At the time, coaches were a popular place for love-making. It's a long time since I read Mary Stewart's novel, but I should think she was referring more to the temptations of wealth and luxury , "the pleasures of the palace" (a modest English "au pair" in a noble French household, with a sinister atmosphere around it).”
“I read this so long ago...can anyone tell me what the "coaches" stood for? I remember that some chapters were titled "first and second coaches". What did they stand for? Thanks!”
