Charlotte M. Yonge’s "The Chaplet of Pearls" is a sweeping historical romance set against the violent backdrop of the French Wars of Religion in the 16th century. The story follows the intertwined destinies of two young cousins, Eustacie de Ribaumont and Berenger de Ribaumont. As children, they are betrothed to unite their warring families, and Eustacie is given a token of this promise: a beautiful chaplet of pearls. Years later, Berenger, a Protestant English gentleman, travels to France to claim his bride. Eustacie, a spirited Catholic, is initially resistant but soon falls in love with her intended husband. However, their union is violently opposed by Eustacie’s fanatical Catholic guardian, the Baron de Ribaumont, and his sinister son, Narcisse, who desires Eustacie for himself. On the eve of the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, a plot to murder Berenger and force Eustacie into a marriage with Narcisse sends the young couple fleeing for their lives. They become tragically separated amidst the bloody turmoil, each believing the other to be dead. The novel then becomes a epic quest, as Berenger, heartbroken but determined, spends years searching for any trace of his lost wife, while Eustacie endures imprisonment and danger. Charlotte M. Yonge masterfully blends a tender love story with thrilling adventure, political intrigue, and a vivid depiction of one of history’s most turbulent periods, all centered on the symbolic chaplet that represents a bond that not even religious war and treachery can break.

Table of Contents:

• The Chaplet of Pearls. Part 1

• The Chaplet of Pearls. Part 2

• The Chaplet of Pearls. Part 3

• The Chaplet of Pearls. Part 4

• The Chaplet of Pearls. Part 5

• The Chaplet of Pearls. Part 6

• The Chaplet of Pearls. Part 7

• The Chaplet of Pearls. Part 8

• The Chaplet of Pearls. Part 9