Command of the King

Philippa de Verne is the spirited heroine of Lide's turbulent new novel set in England during the early part of Henry VIII's rule. After her mother's death, Philippa's heinous stepfather tries to force her to marry Master Simeon, an odious, boorish village lawyer three times her age. Philippa runs away, and on a country road collides with Richard Montecune, a mercenary soldier returning with his troops from battle. He becomes her mentor and lover as she naively makes her way to the king's court to win back her land. When she reluctantly becomes part of the inner circle of the king's vapid sister, Princess Mary Tudor, Phillippa must learn to survive the tenuous, tedious and treacherous world of court politics. The dense but quick-moving plot involves intrigue, espionage, betrayal and many misunderstandings. Lide's ( The Legacy of Tregaran ) eye for detail is impressive, she is a strong storyteller, and her historical research is evident but not obtrusive. (Dec.)