Peter Lawler

The Carlisle Diamond Peter Lawler

This is the third and final novel of the Carlisle Trilogy, titled The Carlisle Diamond. Warwick Lachlan, the eighteenth Marquis of Cumbria and Galloway married and brought his bride, Lady Marguerite Balfour, home to Kilmorgan Castle against the wishes of her family. Marguerite Balfour was not only beautiful and petite but possessed a will of steel when she chose Warwick over objections.

Nicola Waltham, daughter of a Texas cattle rancher, grew into a stunning red-headed beauty. She and her parents were ignored totally by her mother's De la Sale family. The murder of Nicola's parents and the loss of all she owned was devastating. To survive, she became singer-dancer in the saloons of the USA. Nicola married James Lachlan, son of Warwick, in Carlisle Cathedral after a tempestuous relationship to become one of the finest ladies of England.

James and Nicola's daughter Countess Danielle Lachlan was kidnapped as she drove to her wedding to Regan Meagher in Dublin by French criminals and well-paid members of the then IRA.

Andrew Lachlan, son of James Lachlan, saved the life of a French-born seductress, Chantelle De Leon. She and her mother, separated from her father's family, used their charms to live off what they could extract from the wealthy men of Europe. Andrew knew nothing of Chantelle's life. When she deserted him, his heart was broken. She became a spy for the British during the Great War. At the war's end, because she had consorted with Germans, she was considered to be a traitor to France and this meant death if she was found. She sought out Andrew, the only man she had ever truly loved, even though she knew he would likely reject her. Andrew had two thoughts, choke her or take her to bed, for he still loved her.

Nicola, gun in hand, rescued her daughter with the help of a man who had infiltrated the small group of IRA activists. Chantelle married Andrew and, like the two ladies before her, became the Marchioness of Cumbria and Galloway.