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The Pigeon Pie

by Charlotte M. Yonge (1823–1901)

  • Free to read
  • 2 hours to read
  • 9 chapters
  • Reading level: 7th grade

"The Pigeon Pie" by Charlotte M. Yonge is a historical novel set in the early 17th century during the tumultuous times of the English Civil War. The story focuses on the Woodley family, particularly on the poignant struggles of Lady Mary Woodley and her children as they navigate the chaos of a nation divided, all while keeping the hope for their royalist ideals alive against overwhelming odds. The opening of the novel introduces us to the serene yet charged atmosphere of Forest Lea House, where young siblings, including Charlie, Eleanor, and Lucy, play amidst fears of the ongoing war. Walter, their older sibling, famously longs for glory in battle, while the looming presence of war weighs heavily on the household as their father has gone to fight for King Charles. Through lively conversation and playful banter, the children express their hopes and dreams, but the harsh realities soon seep in as they learn of their father's welfare and the fate of the kingdom. Deborah, the maid, serves as a voice of concern amid the children's innocence, revealing the tension between the desires for bravery and the fears of life during wartime. As the clash between royalists and parliamentarians escalates, the Woodley family's strength and unity will be tested, setting the stage for a gripping tale of loyalty and resilience.

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  • Children's stories, English · 19th century
  • Families
  • Great Britain · History · Civil War, 1642-1649
  • Roundheads

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Chapter I

EARLY in the September of the year 1651 the afternoon sun was shining pleasantly into the dining-hall of Forest Lea House. The sunshine came through a large bay-window, glazed in diamonds, and with long branches of a vine trailing across it, but in parts the glass had been broken and had never been mended. The walls were wainscoted with dark oak, as well as the floor, which shone bright with rubbing, and stag’s antlers projected from them, on which hung a sword in its sheath, one or two odd gauntlets, an old-fashioned helmet, a gun, some bows and arrows, and two of the broad shady hats then in use, one with a drooping black feather, the other plainer and a good deal the worse for wear, both of a small size, as if belonging to a young boy.

An oaken screen crossed the hall, close to the front door, and there was a large open fireplace, a settle on each side under the great yawning chimney, where however at present no fire was burning. Before it was a long dining-table covered towards the upper end with a delicately white cloth, on which stood, however, a few trenchers, plain drinking-horns, and a large old-fashioned black-jack, that is to say, a pitcher formed of leather. An armchair was at the head of the table, and heavy oaken benches along the side.

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Contents

  1. Chapter I
  2. Chapter II
  3. Chapter III
  4. Chapter IV
  5. Chapter V
  6. Chapter VI
  7. Chapter VII
  8. Chapter VIII
  9. Chapter IX

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About this edition

This free edition of The Pigeon Pie by Charlotte M. Yonge comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #2606, released 2001-04-01. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Historical Novels, British Literature.

Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).

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