Spirit of the Highway (Highway Trilogy Book 2)

England, 1651

England has been engaged in a bitter Civil War for nearly ten years.

Ralph Chaplin, a farmer's son, has fallen for headstrong copper-haired Kate.

There is only one problem - he is a Roundhead soldier and she is a Royalist Lady.

Tired of strife and bloodshed, Ralph senses that the Battle at Worcester will be a chance to finish the fighting for good.

He longs for peace, so he can forge a secure future and find a different, more equal way of life for himself and Kate.

But war is not what he imagined, and soon he has made a deadly enemy; one who will pursue Ralph and those he loves, to wreak vengeance.

What's more, Ralph finds he has as many enemies at home, as on the battlefield...

Can Ralph protect his family - and Kate?

Or do they stand to lose it all to his avenger?

'Spirit of the Highway' is the stand-alone second part of the Highway Trilogy for Young Adults based on the real life and legend of Lady Katherine Fanshawe, Highwaywoman. It follows from 'Shadow of the Highway', and precedes 'Lady of the Highway'.

'At the heart of Swift's story is the love between Kate and Ralph. Theirs is a touching story of people divided by class but united by shared beliefs. I was very excited to see that Swift incorporated the Diggers into her story, and I'm sure this will get people interested in learning more about that short-lived movement. It's a beautifully-written, exciting, and human story and I look forward to the final installment.' - Andrea Zuvich, best-selling author of 'His Last Mistress'

PRAISE FOR DEBORAH SWIFT

'There is no greater compliment than "Give me more!"' - Susanna Gregory

'realistic dialogue, an author's obvious love for history, and characters that leap off the pages' - Romance Reviews Today

'genuinely engrossing... with characters you can get interested in' - The Mum Website

Deborah Swift lives in a stunning part of the world, the English Lake District. She used to work as a costume designer for film and TV, and loves researching the background to her novels. She has an MA in Creative Writing, and is the author of four longer historical novels for adults:
'The Lady's Slipper', (shortlisted for the Impress Prize)
'The Gilded Lily'
'A Divided Inheritance' 'Pleasing Mr Pepys'
You can find out more about her on her website, deborahswift.com.