Mad Barbara

In Short

Set against the paranoid backdrop of Charles II’s England, this historical thriller follows Barbara Purcell, a high-spirited young woman whose father, Sir Lionel, is found dead in his Westminster garden. As secret rivalries and the anti-Catholic madness of the Popish Plot sweep the realm, Barbara’s mother and the calculating Lord Stephen Gore conspire to silence her by declaring her insane and locking her away in a ruined Sussex manor. Saved from starvation and strangulation by Captain John Gore, Barbara must confront the deadly secrets of her past to claim a future with the man who rescued her.

The Story

The story opens on a crisp autumn morning in Westminster, where Sir Lionel Purcell lies dead in his locked music-house, his hand still gripping his sword. In the glittering, cynical court of Charles II, his widow, Lady Anne Purcell, quickly aligns herself with the powerful and manipulative Lord Stephen Gore and the enigmatic Italian hostess, Hortense. When Barbara Purcell, Sir Lionel's daughter, begins to suspect the dark truths behind her father's death and hidden intrigues at court, she becomes a dangerous liability to those around her.

To neutralize the threat, Lord Stephen Gore convinces the Keeper of the Great Seal and the King's officials that Barbara is violently insane. He arranges to have her abducted and imprisoned in Thorn, a dilapidated, roofless castle hidden in the Sussex wilderness. Cut off from the world, Barbara endures a month of solitary confinement in a cold tower, her only solace being a red-bound Bible, the white pigeons that visit her window, and a wild mouse she feeds with bread crumbs.

Meanwhile, Lord Stephen's son, Captain John Gore—a steady, brave naval commander back from sea—returns to London. Intrigued by Barbara's haunting beauty and suspicious of her sudden disappearance, John sets out to find her. Accompanied partway by his friend, the bustling Admiralty official Mr. Samuel Pepys, John travels through Sussex. Near the village of Battle, he notices white hands stretching from a high tower window at the ruined house of Thorn to feed fluttering pigeons. Realizing Barbara is trapped inside, he ambushes her ruthless jailer, Captain Grylls, and secures the keys.

John breaches the tower just as an assassin attempts to strangle Barbara with a red scarf. Rescuing her in the nick of time, John uses a seamanship revival technique to restore her breathing and nurses her back to health at a nearby homestead, Furze Farm. As political paranoia over Catholic plots convulses England, Lord Stephen's own web of treason and murder unravels. Exposed and hunted by Protestant authorities, Lord Stephen flees to the very ruins of Thorn, where he suffers a broken leg and falls into physical and moral degradation.

Finding his disgraced father hiding in the ruins, John provides him with basic shelter and food, though bitter over his father's crimes against Barbara. Touched by Barbara's extraordinary capacity for forgiveness, Lord Stephen undergoes a profound inner transformation. When Protestant officers arrive to arrest him for treason, Lord Stephen chooses to face his execution calmly as a final act of penance, refusing to drag his son and Barbara into his downfall. Reconciled and freed from the shadows of the past, John and Barbara ride away together to build a new life.

How It Unfolds

A quiet morning broken Sir Lionel Purcell is found dead in his garden music-house overlooking St. James’s Park, leaving behind a subtle trail of courtly intrigue and murder. His daughter Barbara broods in silent grief while her mother, Lady Anne, throws herself into the glittering salon life of Whitehall.

The plot to silence Barbara Fearing Barbara knows too much about the secrets surrounding her family, Lord Stephen Gore schemes with medical men and state officials to certify her as insane. She is quietly taken in a closed coach and locked in a high, isolated tower at the ruined Sussex manor of Thorn.

A naval captain takes the trail Captain John Gore returns from sea and becomes captivated by memories of Barbara's defiant spirit. Joining his friend Mr. Samuel Pepys on a journey through Sussex, John observes strange signals from the ivy-covered tower at Thorn and suspects foul play.

Rescue at the tower door After overpowering her guard, John rushes into the tower to find Barbara half-strangled by an attacker. He carries her into the cold night air, revives her using an old sailor's trick, and takes her to safety at Furze Farm.

Retribution in the ruins As national panic over Catholic conspiracies peaks, Lord Stephen Gore’s political machinations collapse, leaving him a broken fugitive hiding in the very ruins where he imprisoned Barbara. John finds his father injured and provides minimal care while grappling with his anger.

A final act of grace Barbara offers forgiveness to the man who tried to destroy her, moving Lord Stephen to accept his impending arrest for treason with quiet dignity. He urges his son and new daughter-in-law to leave him to his fate so they may live unshadowed by his sins.

The People

• Barbara Purcell: A tall, proud, and aloof young woman who refuses to conform to the frivolous chatter of court beauties. Imprisoned under the false pretense of madness, her deep resilience and capacity for mercy allow her to endure captivity and ultimately forgive her tormentors.
• Captain John Gore: A courageous, level-headed sea captain who has faced primeval perils across the Atlantic. Drawn to Barbara's quiet strength, he uses his tactical sharpness and unwavering devotion to track her down, save her life, and protect her from political fallout.
• Lord Stephen Gore: A smooth, cynical courtier and politician who believes that "men may regret; only women and fools repent." Driven by ambition and self-preservation, he orchestrates Barbara's imprisonment, only to face total ruin, physical suffering, and eventual spiritual redemption.
• Lady Anne Purcell: Barbara’s mother, a self-absorbed woman whose shallow affectations of goodwill mask latent jealousy and complicity in the schemes surrounding her family.
• Mr. Samuel Pepys: A bustling, jovial, and sharp-eyed official at the Admiralty who delights in fine food and silver plate. His deep loyalty to John Gore provides vital logistical help and warm friendship throughout the crisis.

In Its Own Voice

"In the little music-house in his garden overlooking the Park of St. James’s, Sir Lionel Purcell—Knight—lay dead, with his cloak half thrown across his face and one hand still gripping the hilt of his sword."

— On the eerie scene that initiates the novel's central mystery.

"There was no fire, no furniture to speak of, and nothing that could be broken and used as an edge to cut and wound."

— Describing the harsh austerity of Barbara's prison room in the tower of Thorn.

"A man who begins to think his virtue shabby is a man who cannot afford to pay his tailor—the priest."

— Illustrating Lord Stephen Gore's worldly and cynical outlook on morality.

What It's Really About

Mad Barbara explores the tension between worldly cynicism and moral integrity during a period of intense political hysteria. Beyond its gothic thriller framework, the novel delves into the corrupting nature of court intrigue and the absolute power men held over women’s freedom through false claims of lunacy. Warwick Deeping contrasts the artificiality of Whitehall—where reputations are crafted through flattery and deceit—with the rugged, honest reality of the Sussex wilderness and the open sea. Ultimately, the book presents forgiveness not as weakness, but as a transformative force capable of breaking cycles of vengeance and redeeming even the most hardened cynic.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy classic historical adventures, late-Victorian romance, and Restoration-era atmosphere will find Mad Barbara a fast-paced and evocative read. Deeping paints his scenes with vivid, painterly detail—from the Rembrandtesque light filtering into a quiet music-room to the wind-swept Sussex hills. The inclusion of historical figures like Samuel Pepys adds a delightful layer of authenticity and humor to an otherwise suspenseful narrative.

Modern readers should be prepared for period-typical romantic conventions and dramatic melodrama, but Barbara stands out as a strong, silent heroine whose agency and dignity drive the story. It is a satisfying blend of mystery, escape, and redemption that lingers long after the final page.