In 1844, Jenny Mobley of Hillsboro, Georgia, finds her
cousin Emily playing matchmaker between Jenny and the
handsome Charles King. Charles is from the long respectable
line of Kings who are owners of the Greek revival mansion,
Trevalyan, located near Madison. Jenny, at first smitten
with "Little Alex," the brilliant US Congressman, rejects
Charles. Once Jenny realizes she truly loves Charles, they
marry and produce a female child, Camilee. To their regret,
Jenny miscarries a child and never produces a male heir.
Jenny and Charles build their lives and home based on God,
trust and love. This is what sees them through the war
between the North and the South. When the Civil War is at
its height, Charles makes the decision to serve in the war.
He survives the war only to be shot by his overseer and
eventually dies. The strong belief Jenny and Camilee have
for their roots carry them through Charles's injury and
death. Jenny then shows her strength by carrying on as the
protector of her family when the enemy troops invade her
home, steal her food and confiscates her animals along with
all else of worth. Camilee falls in love with Tom Herring
and finally produces the male heir for Trevalyan. Their
lives are portrayed before, during and after the Civil War.
Jacquelyn Cook has written a strong novel about the
amazing strength of a woman forced to endure the hardships
and ravages of war with only her child beside her. The
characters are all strong individuals with their own
personal turmoils during the war. There is much detailed
history throughout concerning the Civil War and the effects
it had on the residents of the North and South.
Family. Faith. Love. War. The Gates of Trevalyan brings the
turbulent years before, during and after the Civil War to
vivid and passionate life. Trevalyan, the beautiful
central-Georgia plantation where idealistic young Jenny
Mobley and aristocratic Charles King marry and build a life
together, becomes a symbol of the heartache and division
brought by the nation's bitter wounds.
Author
Jacquelyn Cook weaves the King family's story into a
tapestry featuring the most compelling figures of the
time--from charismatic statesman Alexander Stephens and his
doomed love for Elizabeth Craig to Abraham Lincoln,
Jefferson Davis and many others. Richly detailed and
intensely researched, THE GATES OF TREVALYAN breathes the
spirit of great storytelling into a fascinating historical era.