Ondine (1988)

Ondine is a 1988 historical romance novel by Heather Graham Pozzessere under the pen name Shannon Drake. It is the story of a lady of 17th century England who finds herself cast from nobility when her father is accused of treason and murdered. As a noose rests at her neck, her one regret is that she did not have a chance to find his killer. She is once again given that chance when Lord Chatham, hoping to use the lady to solve the murder of his wife, takes her hand in marriage to save her from the hangman's rope.

Plot/setting

Prologue

The novel begins in 1678 during the reign of Charles II of England. To settle a land dispute, Lord Warwick Chatham jousts in the king's court against Lord Hardgrave, his long-standing enemy. Warwick wins the battle and walks to a stream for a drink of water. Here, he first sees Ondine, though he is unsure if she is real. Later in his quarters, Warwick refuses the advances of the lady Anne Fenton. Then, his wife, Genevieve, comes to him because she had a nightmare about Warwick's grandmother, who met a suspicious death. Warwick assures her that he will protect her, yet he is too late to save her as she falls from the window later. Warwick is convinced that she was murdered, but Charles II believes she committed suicide. A year later, Warwick is traveling to his home in North Lambria when he meets a death procession. After asking his coachman, Jake, if it is true that a woman can be saved from the gallows if someone takes her in marriage, he tells him to follow the procession.

Part I, Ondine

Warwick does not recognize Ondine as the woman he saw in the water only a year before. Ondine is on her way to be hanged for poaching an animal on a lord's property. In the last minutes of her life, Ondine regrets that she could not find the traitor who killed her father and would've killed her had she not run away. She thinks it too good to be true when Warwick saves Ondine from the hangman's rope by marrying her. Her only thought is of leaving him, but after trying to escape once, she realizes that being Warwick's wife can provide her with the protection she needs to devise a plan to clear her father's name. Through constant bickering with Warwick, she is able to play the part of his wife in front of his brother and the servants. Ondine is, however, constantly plagued by nightmares of her father's death by the hands of her step uncle, William, and cousin, Raoul, who threatened to incriminate her as well if she did not marry Raoul. She is also frustrated by her new husband's lack of communication with her about his family history. She learns that his grandmother is rumored to have been murdered by his grandfather's mistress. Later, she discovers that Mathilda was the daughter of her grandfather's affair, and Clinton is Mathilda's son. Warwick constantly dismisses Ondine's temper and frustrations. He tells everyone that she is pregnant hoping to lure out his wife's killer. Ondine knows something else is going on after she hears a voice whispering her name in bedchamber. Overshadowing this fear is the prospect of going to court with Warwick because she does not want to be recognized as a traitor. Despite their bickering, Warwick and Ondine both see glimpses of good in each other and are falling in love.

Part II, The Countess of North Lambria The Game Is Played

Ondine's fear of going to King Charles II's court is unfounded. As soon as Charles II and her have a moment alone, he informs her that he believes her innocent of treason and encourages her to play Warwick's game then return home to clear her father's name. She plays the game very well much to Warwick's dismay. He becomes jealous of the attention she is giving the king, while she becomes jealous of the Lady Anne's attention to Warwick. Their mutual feelings of frustration result in their finally consummating their marriage. Once back in the Chatham manor, Ondine is attacked by a hooded figure in a mask and pushed into the family tomb. Not sure whom to suspect, Warwick plans another trip to court to lure out the killer. Anne and Lord Hardgrave reveal the truth of Warwick and Ondine's marriage, but Warwick gives a loving speech that has everyone enchanted, not revolted, with the love story. On an outing, Ondine is snatched away by pirates. She suspects Anne and Lord Hardgrave, but there is no proof. After saving Ondine, Warwick immediately rushes her back to the Chatham manor and announces that he will be divorcing Ondine and sending her away the next morning. Ondine is constantly confused by Warwick's actions because she doesn't know that he truly loves her and is pushing her away to protect her. That night, Mathilda drugs Ondine and attempts to hang herself and Ondine to right the history of the family to quiet the ghosts that haunt her mind. She succeeds in killing herself, but Warwick arrives in time to save Ondine. Warwick has changed his mind about sending Ondine away, but she doesn't know this. Ondine leaves the next morning for her home in Rochester to try to clear her father's name.