Ambitious & talented people flocked to court in search of power & prestige but Kensington Palace was also a gilded cage. While its inhabitants were cocooned in comfort & splendour successful courtiers had level heads & cold hearts; their secrets were never safe. Among them a Vice Chamberlain with many vices a Maid of Honour with a secret marriage a pushy painter an alcoholic equerry a Wild Boy a penniless poet a dwarf comedian two mysterious turbaned Turks & any number of discarded royal mistresses. An eye-opening portrait of an enthralling group of royal servants Courtiers" also throws new light on the dramatic life of George II & Queen Caroline: a lover murdered babies snatched horrific illnesses & tearful deathbed reconciliations." ...

When the children bring Courtney home he's just a loveable scruffy old dog. But the-mongrel-that-nobody-wants has the most amazing talents. He can cook! He can juggle! He can even play the violin! Then one day Courtney the wonder dog packs up his trunk & leaves home
- but the children find out his helping paw is not far away...
...

Rachel & Kirsty are visiting Kirstys grandmother by the sea for their spring break. One morning they spot a very sparkly shell on the beach & it whisks them away to Fairyland! Its the occasion of the yearly Ocean Gala where Shannon the Ocean Fairy plays her Magical Golden Conch Shell to ensure that the seas & oceans remain peaceful & ordered for the year ahead. But Jack Frost is there to ruin things for everyone! His pesky goblins break the Magical Golden Conch Shell into seven pieces as they try to steal it & the pieces are whisked away into the oceans of the human world. Queen Titania uses her magic to send seven magical sea creatures to guard the pieces of the shell but the Ocean Fairies & Rachel & Kirsty must get the pieces back before chaos takes over the oceans! Can they outwit Jack Frost & his goblins & make the oceans a safe & happy place for everyone once again...? In this final story in the series Kirsty Rachel & Courtney must find the final piece of the Magical Golden Conch Shell & return it to Shannon so that the oceans can be peaceful & harmonious once again! ...

Nell Woodward & Gussie Merton make unlikely friends
- one a young married woman & the other a lonely elderly lady. Nells husband
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Henry Jones an unprepossessing London insurance clerk knows that his uncle has disinherited him. The old man's will made out at the last minute in favour of Henry's charming cousin Isabel Brodrick lies neatly folded in a well-thumbed volume of sermons in his book-room; Henry saw him put it there before he died. Unfortunately nobody else knows where the will is & Henry stands to lose everything by making the knowledge public. Cousin Henry first published in 1879 is one of the most unusual & intriguing of Trollope's shorter novels & its unlikely hero is a timid coward consumed by guilt. But Trollope's handling of his character & dilemma is masterly in its insight & compassion; he knew he had nothing quite like it elsewhere in his fiction. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features including expert introductions by leading authorities helpful notes to clarify the text up-to-date bibliographies for further study & much more. ...

'I see her now
- cousin Phillis. The westering sun shone full upon her & made a slanting stream of light into the room within.'
...

At one time cocoa beans were prized so highly they were used as currency & only the privileged could enjoy what the Aztecs knew as xocoatl. Nowadays high-quality chocolate is widely available in many different delicious forms to an increasingly discerning market. In this delightfully decadent book the UKs premier chocolatier William Curley presents the ultimate master class for all things chocolate. Couture Chocolate first examines the origins of one of the worlds most popular foods -explaining the method of creating chocolate how its quality depends to a large extent on the variety of bean used & the differences between plain milk & white chocolates. It reveals how some of todays most popular flavours -such as vanilla & chilli- were those favoured by the pioneering Aztec chocolatiers centuries ago. In the chocolate master class William shares his techniques & most mouth-watering recipes starting with the basics: tempering & making a bar of chocolate; advice on how to add exotic flavours like rosemary or raspberry; & introducing different textures. Once those skills have been mastered its time to tackle some of his incredible creations... His delectable recipes are helpfully grouped into sections: Truffles & Filled Chocolates examines the science behind creating the perfect truffle making ganache & adding fabulous flavours; Couture Chocolates looks at experimental (but delicious) fillings such as apricot & wasabi sea salt caramel black rice vinegar & thyme; Bouches & Small Delights covers blackcurrant tea cake chocolate rochers & millionaire shortbread; Patisserie explores chocolate & praline Paris Brest chocolate financier with passion fruit curd chocolate mille-fuille & more; Cakes & Biscuits boasts chocolate & pistachio cake macaroons sable & chocolate rosette with orange ganache; & finally Chocolate Ices Drinks Sauces & Spread looks at a huge variety including Gianduja chocolate Tahitian vanilla & golden chestnut. With its unique recipes & sumptuous photographs Couture Chocolate delivers a lifetimes worth of culinary excitement & experimentation into your kitchen. With William Curley as a guide you need never eat a bland dessert again. ...

This is a new title from the author of the bestselling Couture Sewing Techniques". It provides the techniques & knowledge to create garments with true designer professionalism. Couture industry-insider Claire Shaeffer offers home sewers the techniques & knowledge to create garments with true designer professionalism. This book & DVD set contains a complete workshop in the fitting & tailoring sewing secrets of professional designers the same curriculum that has made Shaeffer's in-person classes smash-hit sell-outs. The DVD offers an in-depth tailoring workshop with Shaeffer & the book presents the class in printed form along with intriguing details about the couture garments shown & information on the construction methods used by such renowned designers such as Chanel Dior Balenciaga & more." ...

This title helps you learn the timeless skills & techniques of sewing designer quality fashions & creating one of a kind custom fitted pieces that have shape strength & beauty. Illustrated Guide to Sewing: Couture Techniques" guides readers through the characteristics that separate basic sewing from couture such as a custom fit meticulous handwork & quality construction. Starting with an overview on important topics such as working with fine fabrics custom fitting garments & hand stitching readers will go on to learn how to create one of a kind fashions that have shape strength & beauty with close up chapters on creating couture collars necklines sleeves & more." ...

Your wedding day is a day you will remember forever & so it has to be perfect. While dress flowers & carriages all play their role when it comes to the reception the cake will undoubtedly be the star of the show. Now that the days of the obligatory three-tier white-iced fruit cake are long gone the cake can be as glamorous as exciting as stunning as your imagination allows. From luxurious baroque designs to the most stunning minimalist creations this collection of Mich Turners amazing wedding cakes will inspire any bride-to-be. Whether you want an exquisitely regal cake with a beautiful tear-drop design combined with tightly packed roses; a more lush almost sculpted concoction of sweeping fans of white chocolate interspersed with real flowers; a chic & sweetly pretty h&-painted floral design; or a tiered arrangement of tri-coloured individual cakes each topped with a rose there is a tantalising collection here. Mich also showcases a range of beautiful wedding mementoes including cookies tiny cakes & favours. Divided into eight chapters covering a full spectrum of classic creative & contemporary styles Couture Wedding Cakes will not only inspire you but will also give you all the information you need to make these cakes yourself. Whether you choose a romantic fairytale-like cake a chic number that is style itself or a show-stopping confection of chocolate & flowers you will be guided step-by-step through all the stages to create a breathtaking wedding cake that will be admired by all. ...