Midwife of Normandy: The Midwife Chronicles--Book One

In 17th-century France, midwife Clare Dupres faces mounting danger as religious persecution intensifies. When her former love Pierre Dupres leaves France to seek his fortune, Clare marries his elder brother Jacques instead. As a descendant of a long line of midwives, Clare is expected to continue her family's ancestral calling and bear a daughter to carry on the legacy. Clare persuades Jacques to restore Maison Dupres, a crumbling chateau rumored to be haunted, into their family home. After bearing two children, she wishes to continue her midwifery practice, but Jacques increasingly resents her determination to work. Their tensions grow as danger rises beyond their walls. When a royal edict under Louis XIV strips Clare of her livelihood as Huguenots face escalating threats, she urges Jacques to flee to England. He refuses, unaware of the peril. Desperate, Clare contacts Pierre and together they plan to smuggle the family to London aboard one of his merchant ships. Before they can escape, the King's Dragonnade soldiers arrive at Maison Dupres with an arrest warrant based on false allegations from a vengeful servant. Clare's attempt to outwit the officer and save her family sets off a relentless pursuit. Book 1 of The Midwife Chronicles series.