England, 1388: All her life, Louisa has dreamed of finding the rumored “Giant’s Treasure,” a collection of ancient, lost riches said to be hidden on a mountaintop in Scotland, guarded by a fierce monster. It’s a story her father used to tell her, and when he dies and she and her younger sister have to go live with their shiftless, greedy uncle, Louisa is determined to find that treasure. It’s the hope that has kept her defying her uncle’s efforts to marry her off to the highest bidder.
After her uncle starts to parade Louisa’s twelve-year-old sister Margaret in front of potential husbands, Louisa realizes she has no time to waste. She disguises herself as a boy and takes off for Scotland. But the road is a harsher place than she’d imagined, and she is relieved to find a friend in the knight, Sir Charles, who goes along with her on her journey.
Charles is intrigued by this young woman who claims her name is “Jack” and is set on going to Scotland. He goes along, pretending to believe she is a boy, in order to make sure nothing bad happens to her. As they meet new friends along the road, and as Louisa comes clean about her identity, the pair find themselves falling in love. But what will happen when they reach Scotland? Will they find their independence and the freedom to marry in the form of a buried treasure, or will the monster from Louisa’s own past keep the young couple apart?
Melanie Dickerson's Lady of Disguise is the Sixth installment in the authors The Dericott Tales series. This medieval retelling of "Jack and the Beanstalk" is filled with romance, action, and adventure and showcases a strong, determined young woman, Louisa Lenton, and a chivalrous knight, Sir Charles Raynsford of Dericott on a quest for treasure. Charles is one of the Dericott siblings that this series has focused on. All her life, Louisa has dreamed of finding the rumored “Giant’s Treasure,” a collection of ancient, lost riches said to be hidden on a mountaintop in Scotland, guarded by a fierce monster.
It’s a story her father used to tell her, but when he died she and her younger sister had to go live with their shiftless, greedy uncle who took all her father once owned. Louisa is determined to find that treasure. After her uncle starts to parade Louisa’s twelve-year-old sister Margaret in front of potential husbands, Louisa realizes she has no time to waste. Because women are looked down upon if they travel alone, she disguises herself as a boy, cuts her hair short, calls herself Jack, and takes off for Scotland. But the road is a harsher place than she’d imagined, and she is relieved to find a friend in the knight, Sir Charles who saves her from a gang who tries to steal all her belongings.
Charles was recently burned by a Lady who played the field until she found someone she could use and gain more status in her life. Charles is a noble knight seeking a noble quest and trying to make things right and helping others after what he and his brothers went through at the hands of his former stepmother. He is intrigued by this young woman who claims her name is “Jack” and is set on going to Scotland. He goes along, pretending to believe she is a boy, to make sure nothing bad happens to her.
After all, Charles truly believes that women should be cherished and protected, something 21st-century feminists scoff at and attack anyone who tries. As they meet new friends along the road, and as Louisa comes clean about her identity, the pair find themselves falling in love. But what will happen when they reach Scotland? Will they find their independence and the freedom to marry in the form of a buried treasure, or will the monster from Louisa’s own past keep the young couple apart?
*Thoughts* The books in this series are all basically the same. They feature one of the Raynsford of Dericott brothers, a woman destined to be in their futures, an odious villain, and a Christian theme. Other than Louisa pretending to be a boy named Jack, there is no beanstalk in this story. Sorry, but I guess I spoiled it for you. There is a rather large character who doesn't fit the villain role for which he has been deemed who ends up becoming friends with Louisa and Charles. This story does have several of Charles's brothers involved because of what happens in Scotland, and because of Louisa's uncle who will do anything to sell Louisa and Margaret off to whomever wants them. Apparently, This is the sixth and final book in Melanie's Dericott Tale series of stand-alone fairy tales.
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