The Silvered Heart

Travel Guide

With the civil war raging and the effects devastating the county, the King is in turmoil and Cromwell’s army is destroying everything in its path. The fortunes of rich and privileged families is dwindling and Lady Katherine Ferrers like many others are forced to either work, earn a living some way and marry someone just to have a chance in life. Life is a risk, and robbery is rife:

“The distant drum of galloping hoof conjures nothing but doubt and fear, these days”

These situations lead to her making the decision to become a Dick Turpin style character which was common at the time but not for women. The frightening way in which she herself suffers robbery on the highway before committing it herself is evoked in chilling detail. Women were always the pawns of men, at their mercy and their sickening lust.

Civil war is raging and life for everyone is hard, dirty, dangerous and unstable.

Our journey has become a slow crawl across England’s lead-pocked, battle- churned land

The world is changing but women are very much at the mercy of men. Marriage is their only choice so to choose to risk everything to become a highwayman ensures Katherine turns to the violence and savagery she once used to experience herself.

The biggest change in England at that time was when Parliament wins the war and executes the king. The old order is no more and everyone is now struggling to deal with the aftermath not to mention the loss of status and wealth. Kate has to find her own way in the world and her husband and marriage do not provide the position in society she needs. But it’s the insight into the civil war and to the extremes people will go to when their world around them is falling apart:

“How I have come to love this moment, when the tensions of the stand, the power of a loaded pistol, the weight of gold in my palm area all yet to come, and anything is possible.”