Bitter Greens : A Captivating Tale of Witchcraft, Betrayal and Love

Charlotte-Rose de la Force has been banished from the court of Versailles by the Sun King, Louis XIV, after a series of scandalous love affairs. She is comforted by an old nun, S ur Seraphina, who tells her the tale of a young girl who, a hundred years earlier, is sold by her parents for a handful of Bitter Greens ... After Margherita's father steals a handful of parsley, wintercress and rapunzel from the walled garden of the courtesan Selena Leonelli, he is threatened with having both hands cut off ... unless he and his wife give away their little girl. Selena is the famous red-haired muse of the artist Tiziano, first painted by him in 1512 and still inspiring him at the time of his death, sixty-four years later. Called La Strega Bella, Selena is at the centre of Renaissance life in Venice, a world of beauty and danger, seduction and betrayal, love and superstition. Locked away in a tower, growing to womanhood, Margherita sings in the hope that someone will hear her. One day, a young man does ... Three women, three lives, three stories, braided together to create a compelling story of desire, obsession, black magic and the redemptive power of love. "Charlotte-Rose de la Force, exiled from the court of the Sun King Louis XIV, has always been a great teller of tales. Selena Leonelli, once the exquisite muse of the great Venetian artist Titian, is terrifed of time. Margherita, trappen in a doorless tower and burdened by tangles of her red-gold hair, must find a way to escape. Three women, three lives, three stories, braided together in a compelling tale of desire, obsession and the redemptive power of love"--Page 4 of cover Charlotte-rose De La Force, Exiled From The Court Of King Louis Xiv, Has Always Been A Great Talker And Teller Of Tales. Selena Leonelli, Once The Exquisite Muse Of The Great Venetian Artist Tiziano, Is Terrified Of Time. Margherita, Trapped In A Doorless Tower And Burdened By Tangles Of Her Red-gold Hair, Must Find A Way To Escape. You May Think You Know The Story Of Rapunzel . . . Charlotte-Rose de la Force, exiled from King Louis XIV's court, has always been a great teller of tales. Selena Leonelli, once the exquisite muse of Tiziano, is terrified of time. Margherita, trapped in a doorless tower and burdened by tangles of red-gold hair, must find a way to escape. You may think you know the story of Rapunzel ...