The Favoured Child

Secrets Beneath the Surface

In The Favoured Child, Philippa Gregory transports us to a grand Georgian estate on the brink of transformation. Young Sophia Trent arrives at Westbridge Manor as governess to the inquisitive Linton twins, only to discover layers of hidden rivalries, clandestine romances, and a family legacy tainted by ambition. From the moment Sophia steps through the wrought-iron gates, she senses that every gilded portrait and polished parquet conceals a deeply buried secret. Gregory’s elegant prose illuminates the tensions between duty and desire, painting a world where manners are weapons and loyalty can shift like autumn leaves.

The Price of Innocence

As Sophia grows closer to the headstrong Linton children, she uncovers whispers of a long-lost heir—and a rumored will that could upend the lives of everyone at Westbridge. The arrival of suave barrister Jonathan Harcourt, drawn to the estate by professional curiosity and personal intrigue, only deepens the mystery. Between candlelit soirées in the orangery and storm-lashed horseback rides across marshland, alliances form and dissolve with heart–stopping speed. Secondary characters—a fiercely intelligent housemaid determined to protect her mistress, a reclusive aunt whose cryptic warnings hint at betrayal, and a scarred war veteran haunted by past sacrifices—add emotional depth to a story where every choice carries weight.

Redemption and Reckoning

In a climax that unfolds beneath the manor’s ancient yew trees, truth and deception collide. Sophia must decide whether to safeguard the fragile innocence of those she loves or expose the long-concealed maneuvers of power that threaten to destroy them. With a deft balance of suspense and sentiment, Gregory reveals that the greatest inheritance is not wealth or title, but the strength to forgive—and to forge one’s own destiny against the currents of history.

Author’s Description

Philippa Gregory is an acclaimed novelist whose richly researched historical dramas bring the past vividly to life. With multiple international bestsellers to her name, she lives in Yorkshire and continues to explore the hidden passions and power struggles that shape human hearts.