Small Gains — K.M. Peyton

A tragic saga set at the turn of the 18th century; a poverty-stricken family struggles to survive against unimaginable odds. Set just after the Napoleonic wars, Small Gains is the story of Clara, a true heroine who struggles to keep her head above water in a time of poverty and prejudice. Nat, the cruel but incredibly attractive son of the local rich family, turns both Clara and her family's lives upside down, both in the world of racing and in the flushes of first love. And with the threat of tuberculosis hanging over them all, Clara faces up to her extraordinary life and loves with certainty and passion. This is a powerful novel -- the story that Jane Austen never told.