Over the Border: A Romance

The story begins as Frances Wentworth goes to London to see if her father will acknowledge her. There she does meet him, but it is the midst of the turmoil of the start of the hostility between King Charles and Cromwell. At her father's request she returns home to the countryside.

Some time passes (no spoilers!), but circumstances have changed; her twin brother joins the Roundheads but is arrested for treachery when he leaves his post to visit his sweetheart. Cromwell offers him his life if he will follow a travelling Scot, William Armstrong, to Oxford, where Armstrong intends to gain a commission from the beleaguered king to take to the Scots. So young Wentworth falls in with Armstrong, since both their lives depend upon it. However, when they pass near Wentworth's home, the young man runs afoul of his sweetheart's father, who deals him a nasty sword-thrust. Armstrong carries him to his home, where Frances tends him; he is able to persuade her to undertake his mission when she knows his life depends on it.

So soon we have Frances and Armstrong taking the road together, he to gain his papers and she to plan how to get them from him, give them to Cromwell, and save her brother's life.

Personally, I felt the plot wasn't the strongest—too many things not explained—but I sure did enjoy the old adventure and the tender romance.