The Summer Fields

Set in 1704 against the backdrop of a brutal smallpox epidemic and the War of the Spanish Succession, the story follows Elen Griffiths, a highly educated Welsh dairymaid. Because she survived cowpox in her youth, Elen possesses a rare immunity to smallpox. This “gift” turns into a challenging obligation when she is forced to leave her family to care for the infected and irritable aristocrat, Viscount Mordiford, at the eerie Duntisbourne Hall.While managing the dark atmosphere of the estate and navigating a complex dynamic with the inhabitants, she forms a strong connection with a valet. When threatening forces put her life in danger, Elen escapes across the English Channel and volunteers as a nurse supporting the Duke of Marlborough’s military operations against the French. The novel weaves together gothic suspense, battlefield medicine, and a deep romance as Elen is ultimately reunited with her love on the eve of the historic Battle of Blenheim.