The Lady : A Novel

Amidst the grandeur of the emerald countryside, a magnificent story unfolds. . . . They are the Carradynes, who for more than 200 years have bred and trained horses of the finest caliber on Cornanagha land so beautiful it inspires the soul. But all is not idyllic at hearth and home. At the center of the conflict is Catriona, the youngest child, a girl who dreams of riding her familys big jumpers and show horses. Her father, Michael, is keenly aware of her immense talent, and he urges her ononly to lock wills with his insufferably pious and overbearing wife, Isabel, a woman who cannot bear horses, who cannot bear his touch. Her goal is to put stiff dresses, tight shoes, and perfect manners on Catriona. It is a stalemate of pride and passionuntil the day Lady Selina Healy enters their lives. Poised, beautiful, and warm, she too knows imprisonment in a loveless marriage, she too admires good horses, she too finds enchantment in Cornanagh. She falls in love . . . with Catriona, who becomes the child she never had; with the splendid lush land; and with Michael, the consummate horseman and gentleman. There are the Carradynes, who for more than 200 years have bred and trained horses of the finest caliber on Cornanagh--a land so beautiful it inspire the soul. But all is not idyllic at hearth and home. At the center of the conflict if Catriona, the youngest child, a girl who dreams of riding her family's big jumpers and show horses. Her father, Michael, is keenly aware of her immense talent, and he urges her on--only to lock wills with his insufferably pious and overbearing wife, Isabel, a woman who cannot bear horses, who cannot bear his touch. Her goal is to put stiff dresses, tight shoes, and perfect manners on Catriona. It is a stalemate of pride and passion--until the day Lady Salina Healy enters their lives. Poised, beautiful, and warm, she too knows imprisonment in a loveless marriage, she too admires good horses, she too finds enchantment in Cornanagh. She falls in love...with Catriona, who becomes the child she never had; with the spendid lush land; and with Michael, the consummate horseman and gentleman They are the Caradynes, who for over 200 years have bred and trained horses of the finest caliber on Coernanagh. But all is not idyllic at hearth and home. Catriona, the youngest child, longs to ride her family's big jumpers and show horses. Her father Michael, recognizes her gift, but her mother hates the very idea. All is in a stalemate until Lady Selina Healy enters their lives, and provides for Catriona and her father a stunning example of how the reins of power can be held by a glorious, fearless woman.

In McCaffrey's hands, the turbulent and beautiful landscape of Ireland becomes a splendid backdrop for The Lady, the story of the passionate Carradyne family, the horse farm that made them famous and the beautiful lady who changed their lives.

They are the Caradynes, who for over 200 years have bred and trained horses of the finest caliber on Coernanagh. But all is not idyllic at hearth and home. Catriona, the youngest child, longs to ride her family's big jumpers and show horses. Her father Michael, recognizes her gift, but her mother hates the very idea. All is in a stalemate until Lady Selina Healy enters their lives, and provides for Catriona and her father a stunning example of how the reins of power can be held by a glorious, fearless woman.From the Paperback edition. They are the Carradvnes, who for over 200 years have bred and trained horses of the finest caliber on Cornanagh--a land so beautiful it inspires the soul. But all is not idyllic at hearth and home. At the center of the conflict is Catriona, the youngest child, a girl who dreams of riding her family's big jumpers and show horses