Catherine Darby

Conceived on Midsummer Night by the masked man who comes to pleasure the Solstice Maid, Pagan Clough grows up knowing herself to be different from other girls. When Adam Paget invites her to ride with him to Somerset she seizes the chance. More dangerous than the Monmouth Rebellion in which she becomes embroiled is her own nature, for Pagan is betrayed many times by her own sensuality - by the raging desires that Loki, the bearkeeper, and the cold-hearted Judge Jeffreys use for their own ends.

The sunset of the mighty English empire cast its blood-red glow over the great Falcon manor of Kingsmead. While the Falcon men were away fighting and dying on the battlefields of World War I, the most ruthless and voracious of the Falcon women were seizing control of the Falcon fate at home. There was Leah, who had done so much evil in her life, and now was fearful of the satanic forces she had summoned forth but could no longer control. There was her niece, Levanah, mistress of all the black arts, supreme in her power to seduce and corrupt all around her. There were the men who were their helpless pawns, the children who were their pitiful puppets - and the young girl whose uncanny powers and indomitable courage made her the last hope to save the Falcon name and the Falcon honor from the infernal triumph of darkness.