A Matter of Life and Death

Lost within the mingled struggles of life for a poor man in the midst

of England's war-strewn history, young Avery Smith determines

to find a place for himself. But what if there is no place willing

to have him? Left to his own devices at the callow age of twelve,

Avery blunders through a life of aimless mischief. All of this seems

to come to a shuddering halt when he is captured and locked away

in a dank prison cell. But mere bars and mortar are nothing to hold

the accomplished thief known only as Rapscallion!

Avery soon finds himself pursued harder than ever by the iron law

of the land. Though he encounters many common folk in his travels,

both kind and devious alike, none capture his attention so firmly as

one, Amelia Bairns. The young woman is kind, well mannered, fair

tempered, and an ardent Christian. She is every inch a lady. And

what is he to do if she will not have him as well?