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The Sword and the Shadow
Young and headstrong, Lady Frances found it hard to obey Captain Crispin Barbican. She simply was not used to being ordered around--by anyone. But the dashing and gallant buccaneer had sworn to protect her against her cousin.
Frances knew she would only be safe away from England. She reluctantly agreed to sail to the West Indies with Crispin.
Soon Frances began to see that behind Crispin's roguish pirate exterior was a man of infinite charm. And Crispin began to notice that the willful girl he had vowed to safeguard had grown to be a dazzling and delightful woman.
Frances knew she would only be safe away from England. She reluctantly agreed to sail to the West Indies with Crispin.
Soon Frances began to see that behind Crispin's roguish pirate exterior was a man of infinite charm. And Crispin began to notice that the willful girl he had vowed to safeguard had grown to be a dazzling and delightful woman.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
77 people want to read
About the author
Sylvia Thorpe
38 books22 followersJune Sylvia Thimblethorpe was born in 1926 in London, England. Educated in London at a school in Brondesbury, Kilburn High School for Girls, Slade School of Fine Arts, and University College. She worked as secretary from 1949 to 1952 and later she worked as school teacher.
As Sylvia Thorpe, she wrote over 25 historical romance novels from 1950 to 1983. Her novel "The Scapegrace" (1971) won the Elizabeth Goudge Historical Award. She was the third elected Chairman (1965-1967) of the Romantic Novelists' Association, and was named a Honor Life Member of the organization.
Sylvia is now a trustee for the Goodrich Village Hall Trust. Goodrich is a village, in south Herefordshire which is very close to Gloucestershire and the Forest of Dean situated near the River Wye and is famous for its old red sandstone Norman and medieval castle.
As Sylvia Thorpe, she wrote over 25 historical romance novels from 1950 to 1983. Her novel "The Scapegrace" (1971) won the Elizabeth Goudge Historical Award. She was the third elected Chairman (1965-1967) of the Romantic Novelists' Association, and was named a Honor Life Member of the organization.
Sylvia is now a trustee for the Goodrich Village Hall Trust. Goodrich is a village, in south Herefordshire which is very close to Gloucestershire and the Forest of Dean situated near the River Wye and is famous for its old red sandstone Norman and medieval castle.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 21, 2015
I feel like I've been giving out a lot of five stars lately and try as I may I can't see any reason to knock this book down a star. I enjoyed it too much. The description on the back cover doesn't even scratch the surface of the happenings here.
Lady Francis and her brother Jonathan are running for their lives when their Grandfather and sole protector is brutally murdered by hired assassins. Before he dies though he entrusts them to Captain Crispin Barbican who tried to save his life. Thus starts a strange affinity between the Puritan Lady Francis and the pirate captain who stands for all she despises.
But life has a way of disrupting things and before they realize it, Lady Francis in one rash act tosses away her relative safety with Crispin and becomes more ensnared by a devilish plot than ever before. With a villain as cunning as he is evil. With infinite care he weaves his plans around Francis and Jonathan and he does it so well that at the end I seriously wondered how things would ever be able to work out for the happy ending I knew was coming.
I'm happy to say there were no misunderstandings, no sudden declarations of love in the last paragraph and no 'I wish this had happened like this instead of like this'.
In the beginning Francis did dislike Captain Barbican greatly and she cruelly insulted him about a third of the way through, but she changes her tune and I liked her all the more for it.
Highly recommended, the adventure, romance and danger are some of Thorpe's best and the villain is not to be missed, he's nothing if not monstrous, yet you still feel a little sorry for him...
PG mention of harlots, a few swears and violence in the form of whippings, suggested torture and murder by stabbing. The hero is a pirate, he has done terrible things in the past and in the beginning he doesn't make himself look too good, but I like the way he turned out.
Lady Francis and her brother Jonathan are running for their lives when their Grandfather and sole protector is brutally murdered by hired assassins. Before he dies though he entrusts them to Captain Crispin Barbican who tried to save his life. Thus starts a strange affinity between the Puritan Lady Francis and the pirate captain who stands for all she despises.
But life has a way of disrupting things and before they realize it, Lady Francis in one rash act tosses away her relative safety with Crispin and becomes more ensnared by a devilish plot than ever before. With a villain as cunning as he is evil. With infinite care he weaves his plans around Francis and Jonathan and he does it so well that at the end I seriously wondered how things would ever be able to work out for the happy ending I knew was coming.
I'm happy to say there were no misunderstandings, no sudden declarations of love in the last paragraph and no 'I wish this had happened like this instead of like this'.
In the beginning Francis did dislike Captain Barbican greatly and she cruelly insulted him about a third of the way through, but she changes her tune and I liked her all the more for it.
Highly recommended, the adventure, romance and danger are some of Thorpe's best and the villain is not to be missed, he's nothing if not monstrous, yet you still feel a little sorry for him...
PG mention of harlots, a few swears and violence in the form of whippings, suggested torture and murder by stabbing. The hero is a pirate, he has done terrible things in the past and in the beginning he doesn't make himself look too good, but I like the way he turned out.
June 24, 2022
Sylvia Thorpe reread #6. I thoroughly enjoyed this. A cracking good adventure romance about piracy in the Caribbean in the mid 1600s. This was her first foray into this period of history and genre and is probably her best.
May 23, 2022
Swashbuckling! I loved this as a teenager
July 14, 2012
I don't know if I could quite say why, but I didn't particularly enjoy this book. Despite the amount of action that occurred in a book only 240 pages only, I found myself bored and just wanting to have it finished.
pirates-captains-of-ships
August 12, 2011Recommended by Hannah
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews