[Waverley Novels 08] • Kenilworth

The story begins when Amy flees her father and her betrothed, Tressilian, to marry the Earl. Amy passionately loves her husband, and the Earl loves her, but he is a man driven by ambition. As he courts the favor of Queen Elizabeth I, he can only hope to rise to power by keeping his marriage to Amy secret. . . . he is a man driven by ambition, a man who will stoop to deceit and almost anything else in order to attain his goals, but with one saving grace -- he loves Amy. In the end he will give up everything for her -- but by then it will be too late.

First published in 1821, Kenilworth is an historical romance set in the court of Elizabeth I which tells the story of the ill-fated union between Amy Robsart and Robert Dudley, and Robsart's eventual death. Alhough, according to Scott's version, their marriage is a love-match, Robert is determined, for reasons of his political ambition, to keep it secret.

From Scott's introduction: "Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, a very goodly personage, and singularly well featured, being a great favourite to Queen Elizabeth, it was thought, and commonly reported, that had he been a bachelor or widower, the Queen would have made him her husband . . ."