The Lost Treasure of Trevlyn: A Story of the Days of the Gunpowder Plot

In Short

Set against the background of King James I’s reign and the gathering Gunpowder Plot, Evelyn Everett-Green’s historical romance follows the split and imperiled house of Trevlyn. When the head of the family disowns his thoughtful, Protestant-leaning son Cuthbert, the youth sets off to make his way, drawn into the mystery of a vast ancestral treasure buried in the woods years before and mysteriously vanished. As Cuthbert’s journey collides with treasonous conspirators, highwaymen, and gipsy warnings, his sister Petronella and cousin Kate face their own trials. The novel endures as an engaging period adventure, combining historical detail with romantic intrigue and the high-stakes recovery of a lost inheritance.

The Story

The story opens in the tense atmosphere of the Old Gate House, where Nicholas Trevlyn, a fanatical Papist, rages against his son Cuthbert for attending the service of the Established Church. Disowned and cast out by his father, Cuthbert flees into the world with little more than his principles. Meanwhile, at nearby Trevlyn Chase, Sir Richard Trevlyn—a benevolent relative—recounts to his children the legend of the Lost Treasure of Trevlyn. Decades earlier, during a time of political upheaval, the family’s immense wealth in gold, silver, and Tudor plate was secretly packed in chests and buried at dead of night beneath a giant oak in the forest. When Nicholas checked the cache weeks later, he found the earth moved and every chest empty.

Cuthbert sets out toward London and immediately steps into danger. Crossing Hammerton Heath, he falls in with a compelling stranger who introduces himself as Master Robert Catesby. When highwaymen give chase, Cuthbert willingly surrenders his small purse to Catesby for safekeeping, unaware that his companion is at the very heart of a treasonous Catholic conspiracy against the Crown. Reaching London, Cuthbert finds shelter with his mother’s brother, Martin Holt, a prosperous and strictly principled Puritan merchant whose lively daughter, Cherry, quickly captures Cuthbert’s heart. Holt reveals that he holds a heavy, iron-bound coffer containing two thousand pounds—a legacy left in trust by Cuthbert's grandfather for his disinherited sister’s children.

As political tensions mount in London, Cuthbert finds himself drawn into perilous situations. On a foggy evening along the river, he and his loyal friend Jacob rescue a hunted Catholic priest, Father Urban, from a violent mob and row him to safety. This act of mercy brings Cuthbert back into contact with Catesby’s inner circle, including figures like Robert Kay and Thomas Percy, lodging near Parliament in Westminster. Cuthbert recoils from their dark, hints of vengeance, choosing instead to pursue the mystery of his lost family heritage. Guided by the hints of Esther, an enigmatic old wise woman, and Joanna, a gipsy who harbors secrets of her own, Cuthbert returns to the wild depths of the forest. He seeks out the dreaded Pixies' Dell—a haunted spot guarded by a solitary outlaw named Long Robin.

While Cuthbert scours the woods, his sister Petronella suffers beneath her father’s spiraling madness at home, eventually fleeing into the forest to join her brother. Together at an ancient stone well in the dell, Cuthbert dives into the freezing waters and pulls up a solid, richly chased golden flagon bearing the Trevlyn crest. The lost treasure is found at last, hidden in the watery depths by Robin. Meanwhile, back at the Chase, their spirited cousin "Saucy Kate" faces her own crisis after a secret, unauthorized troth-plight with Lord Culverhouse leads her father to send her away to Cross Way House, the estate of her elderly Wyvern aunts.

Danger strikes one last time when the outlaw Tyrrel and his men capture Cuthbert on a river barge, incited by a vengeful gipsy named Miriam who seeks the complete destruction of the Trevlyn line. However, through the selflessness of Jacob—who yields his own romantic hopes for Cherry to save his friend—Cuthbert is freed. The gold is safely restored, uniting the fractured branches of the family. Kate is reconciled and wedded to Lord Culverhouse, Petronella finds a home with Philip, and Cuthbert brings Cherry to live happily at Cross Way House as the acknowledged heir to the Wyvern legacy.

How It Unfolds

Cast from home Nicholas Trevlyn disowns his son Cuthbert in a furious rage for attending the Established Church. Cuthbert leaves the Old Gate House to seek his fortune, while at Trevlyn Chase, Sir Richard tells his children the tale of the ancestral treasure buried in the forest and mysteriously stolen.

Crossing the heath Riding toward London, Cuthbert is overtaken by highwaymen on Hammerton Heath and entrusts his money to a charismatic fellow traveler, Master Robert Catesby. Cuthbert arrives safely in the city and meets his uncle, Martin Holt, who reveals a secret inheritance held in trust for Cuthbert's family.

Rescuing the fugitive In the dense London fog, Cuthbert and his sturdy friend Jacob save Father Urban from a bloodthirsty mob by pulling him into a wherry on the Thames. This rescue leads Cuthbert into the secretive haunts of Catesby and Robert Kay in Westminster, where whispers of a dark conspiracy fill the air.

Seeking the wise woman Cuthbert and his spirited cousin Cherry consult Esther, a forest sorceress, for clues about the missing treasure. Armed with cryptic verses and warnings about the outlaw Long Robin, Cuthbert sets off to investigate the sinister Pixies' Dell.

The recovery in the well Reunited in the forest with his sister Petronella, who has fled their father's growing insanity, Cuthbert dives into a deep, freezing well within the dell. He hauls up a golden flagon stamped with the Trevlyn arms, proving the long-lost chest of riches is hidden beneath the water.

Captive on the river Before he can secure his prize, Cuthbert is ambushed and bound aboard a river barge by the highwayman Tyrrel, egged on by an old gipsy's vendetta against the Trevlyn bloodline. His loyal friend Jacob steps in to save his life, securing his release.

Yuletide at Cross Way House With the treasure safely recovered and the family restored, the narrative closes at the grand estate of the Wyvern aunts. Kate marries her beloved Culverhouse, Petronella finds her own refuge, and Cuthbert brings Cherry home to begin their life together.

The People

• Cuthbert Trevlyn: A tall, thoughtful, and resolute young man who refuses to practice deceit to satisfy his father's religious fanaticism. Driven by a strong sense of justice and courage, he rescues hunted priests despite his own Protestant beliefs, braves the forest to recover his lost birthright, and remains devoted to Cherry Holt.
• Sir Richard Trevlyn: The benevolent master of Trevlyn Chase, who possesses a deep, kindly intellect and a protective love for his children. He understands the dangerous political climate of King James's reign and seeks to shield his family while honoring the ancient traditions of his house.
• Cherry Holt: The bright-eyed, practical, and rosy-cheeked daughter of Martin Holt. Though often weary of her household drudgery and long Puritan sermons, her quick wit, warmth, and unshakeable devotion to Cuthbert anchor the story's romantic heart.
• Kate Trevlyn ("Saucy Kate"): Sir Richard’s favorite daughter, known for her high spirits, mocking humor, and affectionate confidence. Her impulsive, clandestine troth-plight with Lord Culverhouse brings her under temporary family disgrace, though her courage and warmth shine through her exile.
• Robert Catesby: A dashing, smooth-spoken gentleman who encounters Cuthbert on Hammerton Heath. Beneath his winning charm lies a brooding, dangerous radicalism as he pulls secretive figures into the Gunpowder Plot.
• Petronella Trevlyn: Cuthbert’s gentle, timid sister who endures their father's harshness at the Gate House until his growing madness forces her to flee into the forest to aid her brother's search.
• Jacob: A rough-hewn, unselfish youth with dog-like devotion to Cherry. Though he quietly loves her himself, his fierce loyalty to Cuthbert leads him to risk his own life to save his rival and unite the lovers.

In Its Own Voice

"Go to, thou wicked and deceitful boy; thou wilt one day bitterly rue thy evil practices. Thinkest thou that I will harbour beneath my roof one who sets me at open defiance; one who is a traitor to his house and to his faith?"

Nicholas Trevlyn disowns his son Cuthbert in a storm of religious fury after the youth attends the Established Church.

"To secure this treasure, and bury it out of the reach of rapacious and covetous hands, was the aim and object of that hurried journey taken on the evening of the Queen's decease."

Sir Richard Trevlyn explains to his children how the massive family hoard was packed away into the heart of the forest under cover of night.

"He was long gone, as it seemed to her. She had been forced to take one deep respiration, and was almost tempted to pull at the rope in her hand, when the water suddenly became again disturbed and full of bubbles..."

Petronella waits breathlessly beside the stone well in the Pixies' Dell as Cuthbert dives down to locate the missing gold.

What It's Really About

Beneath its swift adventure and treasure-hunting plot, the novel explores the destructive nature of ideological extremism and the quiet strength of personal integrity. The rift between Nicholas Trevlyn and his children illustrates how fanaticism warps familial love, turning a father into a ruthless persecutor. Against this dark intolerance, the book contrasts Cuthbert’s broad-minded empathy: though a firm Protestant, he hazards his life to save a hunted Catholic priest, rejecting the violent sectarian hatreds of his age.

The story also examines the tension between worldly wealth and moral stewardship. The lost treasure serves as a test of character for everyone it touches. For outlaws and conspirators like Tyrrel and Catesby, gold is an engine for revenge or political destruction; for Cuthbert and his Wyvern kin, it is a means to restore broken lives, protect the vulnerable, and establish a peaceful home grounded in charity and loyalty.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy classical historical fiction in the vein of Walter Scott or Robert Louis Stevenson will find much to admire here. Evelyn Everett-Green paints a vivid canvas of early seventeenth-century England, contrasting the bustling, fog-bound streets of London with the eerie solitude of the open forest and the warm, spice-scented kitchens of Puritan homes preparing for Yuletide. The narrative balances romantic suspense, dark plots in Westminster, and forest folklore with great charm.

Modern readers should be prepared for the formal, somewhat theatrical cadence of the dialogue, filled with period phrasing like "sirrah," "thou," and "well-a-day." The plot relies on traditional historical-romance tropes—gipsy prophecies, hidden family chests, and sudden coincidences—and moves at a steady, unhurried pace across its many chapters. Yet the novel’s core strength lies in its warm-hearted morality, its vivid atmosphere, and its timeless celebration of bravery, loyalty, and generous love over bitter division.