The oak staircase : $b A narrative of the times of James II

"The Oak Staircase: A Narrative of the Times of James II" by M. Lee is a historical fiction novel set during the reign of King James II, bringing together the account of the Taunton maids and a love story between Lord Sunderland’s daughter and the Earl of Clancarty; the story follows Frances Dalrymple and Lord Desmond as they deal with a rapidly changing world. Beginning with Frances and her siblings at Horsemandown, their youthful joy is broken up by study, and Frances finds herself drawn to the portraits that adorn the oak staircase within their home. With the arrival of their Uncle Algernon, the children are promised a special historical story, combining the past with the present as Frances faces family and her own desires as the narrative continues.