~May 16th - 23rd~
particpation details below - at the end of the blog
I'll start by showing you where the inspiration for some of the scenes in Duty Calls come from. The novel opens with the arrival of Gloag’s hero, Rafe Hawk, at Kinsale Hall. The large house in Duty Calls is set in expansive grounds all of which are very roughly based on Holkham Hall on the North Norfolk coast in England.
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| Holkham Hall |
Ms Gloag makes no apologies for rearranging the settings and transplanting them in an unspecified country location. The original setting is close to the county town of Norwich which is regarded as the most complete medieval city in Britain and its amazing history will delight and enthral as you discover how the past has shaped the city.
Norwich was one of the most important towns in Anglo Saxon Britain developed from a collection of small settlements along one of Norfolk's rivers, the Wensum. From these relatively humble beginnings Norwich was to experience dramatic changes with the Norman invasion and settlement in 1066.
The cathedral, was founded in 1096 and built using Normandy stone shipped over from Caen. Only Salisbury Cathedral’s spire is taller than the one in Norwich. |
| Ethelbert Gate |
Providing access from the southern end of Tombland, the Ethelbert Gate is unique example of Norwich preserving evidence of the 12th-century gatehouse, but is essentially a rebuild of c.1320. The upper storey originally housed a chapel, and the gate is remarkable for its early and sophisticated use of flint flushwork.
When you take an official city tour, you will hear about what is called, locally, Kett’s rebellion. Not content with one peasant rebellion, Norwich in 1549 saw Robert Kett’s three week uprising against the enclosure of commons and the dissolution of the monasteries. Kett, a tanner seized the city and led his army to victory over one government army before falling to a far larger one: Kett was hanged from Norwich Keep. The tour iformation maintains that there are links with Ethelbert’s Gate and Kett’s followers.
Norwich with its trading centre was soon the fourth city in the land. More medieval churches remain in Norwich than even London or Paris and were built with the fortunes from the wool trade. 
Once thought to be a natural phenomenom, research in the 1950'sproved The Norfolk Broads were man-made, showing the sides of the deep lakes were vertical and not gently sloping as would be expected of a naturally formed lake, coupled with the historical evidence of peat demand.
In other words, through the need to dig peat for fuel to cook and keep warm, over the centuries past generations gifted a vast area that became a natural habitat to many species for birds, butterflies and other creatures, as a well as an ideal location for boating holidays for the present generation.
When, in Duty Calls, the children’s safety is in question, I envisaged taking the girls to places based on those mentioned above.Because of its position off the main south-north motorways and modern-day-rat-race, Norfolk still maintains much of its old-world charm and historical roots. Snettishan and Holme host a couple of the best known bird sanctuaries in Britain. And the beaches offer a wonderful opportunity for family entertainment.
Norfolk is siuated in the south east of England, and in one medium-sized county offers a wide variety of visitor delights that has something for everyone.
She’d saved his life…
Rafe Hawk refuses to accept the inheritance, of a large English estate, and the title that goes with it, after his birth father’s death because the man chose duty over the woman he loved and their son.
So when he finds himself temporarily living at Kinsale Hall, he’s not prepared to trust anyone associated with the place, including Trudi Delaney and her daughter.
So why, when he looks into their eyes, does he suddenly remember a woman who may have lost her life after a storm while saving his over a decade ago?
Now he could destroy hers.
Instinct warns Trudi Delaney the arrival of the contemptuous American architect at Kinsale Hall will change her life forever. Especially when she discovers he spends so much of his time in areas of Kinsale Hall off-limits to visitors.
Eleven years after escaping from her psychotic husband with a stranger, she’s still plagued by nightmares of events she can’t remember. Events such as, who fathered her beautiful daughter?
Now more than a decade later, she is confronted by another stranger. Will this one destroy everything she holds dear?
EXCERPT:
“Stop the car!” Rafe Hawk swung round to face the driver. “I recognise this road. You never said the commission to build those retirement units was at Kinsale Hall. You know damn well I swore never set foot in the place again, eleven years ago.”
Rage hazed his vision. “You knew I’d refuse the commission if you’d revealed the location, and because you withheld that vital information, Arthur, this contract is null and void.” He shot forward in his seat when Arthur tramped on the brakes.
His friend from their Uni days skewed round in his seat. “How long have we known each other?”
Startled by Arthur Clifton’s question, Rafe hesitated. “What’s the length of our friendship got to do with anything? Other than the fact you’re stretching it very thin, if you think I’ll set foot on Kinsale territory again.” He swung open the car door and leaped out, his fingers tunnelling through his windswept hair.
Brilliant blue skies overhead offered a large playground for the early summer sunshine, and the fluffy white clouds sailing by. He saw the high chimney-tops through the trees.
“Do you really think I’d bring you here without a very good reason?” Arthur remained in his seat, his hands on the steering wheel, watching Rafe pace up and down the soft verge beside the open-topped car.
"I can't think of a single reason good enough that justifies you resurrecting events that nearly cost me my life, and possibly cost the life on an unknown woman."
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