Coming of Age — Jan Foxall

With his duchy of Normandy still sporadically in revolt, William the Bastard's work at achieving supremacy there is hard and his efforts must be relentless. In addition to this he also knows that he must look towards the future, and he realises that without a wife and family the future will be bleak. He needs an heir. But William is also painfully aware that his bastardy is not a recommendation to any potential wife, so for him there are even more mountains to climb.

In England, Harold has chosen his own partner and is preparing to share his life with her. King Edward continues in his hostility towards the most powerful of his magnates, Earl Godwine of Wessex, and the favours he dispenses to Godwine and his sons are, in the king's mind, quite temporary. When an opportunity presents itself to dislodge Godwine from his position of eminence then Edward is unable to resist taking it. However, it soon becomes clear that the earl of Wessex is more resilient than Edward had expected.

This historical novel is the second book in the series 'Crown in Conflict'. It is set between the years 1047-1053.