The Legacy of Tallow Manor by terence j goodchild

The story is based in England at the end of the nineteenth century the story is mainly regarding Benjamin Rawlings the farrier’s son and Elizabeth Gatcombe the daughter of the lord of the manor and how their lives entwine together with many twists and turns

But later takes in countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Greece and through two world wars it follows the main characters of Benjamin Rawlings and Elizabeth Gatcombe two young children brought up in very different circumstances, Benjamin the son of a Farriers at Gatcombe manor and Elizabeth the heiress of Lord Simon Gatcombe.

They become friends early on at the age of thirteen then Benjamin and his family are let go of Gatcombe as it falls on hard times and Lord Simon gives the Rawlings chance of a new life in Australia they leave on a convict ship that is sunk in a hurricane off the east coast of Australia Benjamin climbs back on board to try and help the prisoners escape but is captured as a convict and chained up. Elizabeth gets a letter off her father when she is sent to Italy away from Benjamin as Lady Elanora Gatcombe does not want her daughter mixing with a farrier’s son the letter says Benjamin and his family have been killed in a shipwreck.

She believes Benjamin to be dead, he believes Elizabeth to have been married off and throughout their lives they meet many new people and many adventures are bestowed on them, Elizabeth builds a business and then goes to war as a nurse in world war one Benjamin gets involved with Jonathan, who rescues him from the soldiers who hold him prisoner they in turn get involved with Henry a gold miner and Josephine a shop keepers daughter and Grant Farnsworth a captain of the garrison in Australia that keep all the convicts in line Benjamin and Grants paths have crossed when they were young but Grant does not know that until the day they face each other in a fight to the death.

SKU: B00XISMLWQ Category: Romance Tag: this is a good read

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About the author:

I am an English writer born in Manchester in the north of England and now live in Tasmania with my wife on a farm with our horses. After travelling in Europe for many years my wife and I came to Australia for a holiday in 1981 and found that we could live in this country, so we migrated in 1988 to Melbourne, but now live in Tasmania. I have been writing for about 12 years, and have written 17 novels of fiction and about 100 poems that I may put in a book one day, I try and make my books somewhere the reader can escape to, and hope they enjoy my stories, I put in a few truths, just for spice to make it more interesting, and a few one liners, I put the characters in my stories of people I have met and places I have travelled to and write how I see things, I have had two books published in the UK one by i2i publishing.co.uk called The Joker, and one by Austin Macualey called The legacy of Tallow manor, which has just had a five star review

What inspired you to write your book?

When I lived in the UK I visited many stately homes, and often wondered who lived in them over so many years

Here is a short sample from the book:

The weather was warm and sunny in Wiltshire Tallow Manor basked in the sunshine the only noises breaking the beautiful peace was the blacksmith anvil and the shouting of a woman after a fleeing young girl.
‘Lizzie come back, you are running too fast.’
Lady Constance shouted to Elizabeth as she ran ahead of her through the garden, Constance knew she was too old to be running after a child, on a hot day like today. Elizabeth knew her grandmother could not keep up with her, so she hid behind the huge rose bushes that ran along the pathway, and when her grandmother got close she would jump out and scare her.
Elizabeth had just returned from boarding school for the summer holidays it was also her fourteenth birthday this weekend so she had two reasons to be happy, as all her birthdays were special. Elizabeth loved Tallow Manor, named by her great grandfather who made his fortune in candles. He had built the manor house sixty years ago and could not think of a name, so he asked his employees to name the manor house in a competition, so the name Tallow Manor was born. Many of her ancestors had fought in the great wars, and became famous as politicians, and other well known dignitaries their portraits hung in the great hall of the manor and looked down with sour faces at everyone. Elizabeth was looking forward to her birthday; everyone would be there, all her friends and friends of the family.
‘Lizzie where are you, it is too hot to run around child.’
Constance shouted, ‘Where can that child be?’
Elizabeth shouted Boo, as she jumped out from behind the rose bush, Constance grabbed her chest. ‘Good god child are you trying to kill your grandmother.’
‘Sorry grandmother.’ Elizabeth said Constance smiled at her granddaughter.
‘Its okay Lizzie you just gave me a fright that’s all.’
Constance, called her grand daughter Lizzie, and she was the only one who did, to the disdain of Elizabeth’s mother Elanora, but Constance did not care, she said. ‘At my age, I can call anyone anything I like.’
‘Come on grandmother let’s run.’
Lizzie took off once more, she looked back as she ran to see where her grandmother was, and did not see the boy till it was too late, and ran straight into him banging her head on his, and passed out.
Elizabeth could hear voices far away, but had no idea where they were coming from. ‘Lizzie my child are you all right.’ Constance rubbed her grand daughter’s face, all the time saying her name. Elizabeth could hear her faint voice, and slowly came around, focusing her blue eyes till she saw her grandmother smiling. ‘My dear child, can you get up.’ Constance asked.
Elizabeth got to her feet wobbled a bit and then fell over, someone grabbed her and helped her to her feet, Elizabeth turned around to see who was helping her, and saw the young boy she had run into.
‘Who are you?’ Elizabeth asked.
‘My name is Benjamin Rawling’s I am the farrier’s son.’ The boy replied.
‘What happened grandmother, I was running then I blacked out, oh my head hurts.’ ‘You silly girl you ran right into Benjamin and bumped your head, it seems he has a harder head than you, I don’t know about hotter, but it seems harder, if that can be possible.’
Benjamin just smiled and Elizabeth sort of smiles back, her head was hurting.
‘I am sorry, did I hurt you Benjamin.’ Elizabeth asked.
‘It seems not has much as I hurt you Miss Elizabeth?’
Benjamin just smiled once more. Elizabeth’s head was now hurting more, and a big lump was growing in size on her forehead.
‘Let’s get you back to the house child, Benjamin can you help me to get Lizzie home.’ ‘Yes, Lady Gatcombe.’ Benjamin replied, and grabbed one of Elizabeth’s arms Constance got the other one, and together they made their way back to the house. They neared the house just as Gareth Pierpoint the butler and Housemaster was coming out of the front door. He saw Constance and Benjamin coming up the drive holding Elizabeth up and wondered what had happened. Pierpoint walked towards them, and gave Benjamin a look, that made Benjamin feel uneasy.
‘What has happened to Elizabeth Lady Constance.’
‘A slight accident Pierpoint, can you get Bessy to bring some ice into the parlor.’ ‘Yes Lady Constance right away.’ Pierpoint grabbed the door handle and opened the front door Benjamin stopped. ‘What is wrong boy?’ Constance asked. ‘I have not to go in the front door Lady Gatcombe my father told me it was not right and proper for the likes of me.’ Pierpoint stood looking at Benjamin his face surveying Benjamin’s. ‘Pierpoint did I not ask you to do something for me.’
‘Yes my Lady right away.’ Constance gave Pierpoint a look and he walked away. ‘Well if you think I am going to carry Lizzie in on my own young man, you are sorely mistaken, now grab her arm and lets have none of this right and proper nonsense.’
‘Yes my Lady.’ Benjamin replied Benjamin took Elizabeth’s arm once more and helped her inside Benjamin had never been in Tallow manor and marvelled at the place, it was so rich and big, Benjamin’s eyes were everywhere. His father had taken him to the theatre once, but it was not as big has this place. ‘Come boy help me.’ Constance brought Benjamin out of his thoughts.
‘Sorry.’ Benjamin replied He helped Elizabeth once more; they took her into the parlor where Bessy had just arrived with the ice.
‘Put it on the table girl and bring me some tea please.’
‘Yes my lady.’ Bessy replied.
‘There you are Lizzie sit down her while I put some ice on your bump.’
Constance wrapped some ice inside a towel and applied it to Elizabeth’s head.
As Constance applied the cold towel, Elizabeth winced; her mother came in the door and saw Benjamin standing there and gave him a look.
‘Constance what has happened, Pierpoint said Elizabeth had been in some kind of accident.’ Constance looked at Benjamin and said.
‘Good old Pierpoint.’ Constance winked at Benjamin; he smiled, but stopped when Lady Elanora looked at him then lowered his head.
‘There is nothing to worry about Elanora she has just banged her head, and Benjamin here helped me to bring her home.’
Lady Elanora looked at Benjamin and smiled, she was very beautiful and Benjamin blushed slightly. ‘And how did she bang her head mother, you were supposed to be looking after her.’ Elanora asked.
‘She was running around as usual and went headlong into Benjamin, and it seems he has got a harder head than Lizzie’s if that is possible.’
Constance replied.
‘Mother her name is Elizabeth.’ Lady Elanora replied.
‘Don’t be so stiff Elanora she will be okay it is just a little bump nothing more.’ Pierpoint came in carrying a bucket, which contained more ice and a clean cloth and a glass of water, he looked at Benjamin as if to say are you still here, Benjamin ignored him. Constance puts more ice in the cloth and applied it to Elizabeth head once more.
‘Mother that is a servant’s job not yours.’ Elanora said.
‘Nonsense I was not a nurse in the Crimean war for nothing my dear, servant’s job indeed.’ Elanora hated Constance calling her my dear as she has done on many occasions; it seemed as if her mother in law did not approve of her marrying her son. Elanora walked out of the room saying she would call Doctor Samuel’s, Pierpoint followed lady Elanora out like her lap dog.
‘She worries too much.’ Constance said and smiled at Benjamin.
‘You had better get home young man your father and mother will wonder where you have got to.’ Elizabeth never spoke but just stared at Benjamin.
‘Will you be alright Lizzie while I show Benjamin out?’
Constance asked her granddaughter; Elizabeth just smiled, and then said.
‘Goodbye Benjamin and thank you.’
Benjamin did not know what to say and followed Constance to the front door.
‘You go straight home Benjamin do you hear.’ Constance said.
‘I will goodbye.’ Benjamin replied
Benjamin put his hat on his head and walked down the driveway, Constance eyes followed him as he walked away,
‘No one has even asked how Benjamin was; the boy must have a harder head than I thought.’ Constance said out loud then went inside.
The doctor arrived shortly afterwards and examined Elizabeth, he concluded she just had a bump on her head and no concussion.
‘See I told you she was alright.’ Constance said.
Constance looked at her daughter in law who just tutted.
‘Who was that boy mother?’ Elanora asked.
‘That boy as you so aptly put it is the farrier’s son Benjamin, I don’t know Elanora you have no idea who works for you on this estate, or who your staff are, apart from Pierpoint here.’
Elanora said nothing in reply but just looked at Constance, Pierpoint never spoke either. ‘When the doctor has finished Pierpoint could you take Miss Elizabeth up to her room?’