The Forgotten Seamstress [Paperback]

<p>"An intriguing patchwork of past and present, upstairs and downstairs, hope and despair." —Daisy Goodwin, <em>New York Times</em>bestselling author of <em>The American Heiress</em></p><p><strong>She Kept Her Secret for a Lifetime...</strong></p><p>A shy girl with no family, Maria knows she's lucky to have landed in the sewing room of the royal household. Before World War I casts its shadow, she catches the eye of the Prince of Wales, a glamorous and intense gentleman. But her life takes a far darker turn, and soon all she has left is a fantastical story about her time at Buckingham Palace. </p><p>Decades later, Caroline Meadows discovers a beautiful quilt in her mother's attic. When she can't figure out the meaning of the message embroidered into its lining, she embarks on a quest to reveal its mystery, a puzzle that only seems to grow more important to her own heart. As Caroline pieces together the secret history of the quilt, she comes closer and closer to the truth about Maria. </p><p>Page-turning and heartbreaking, <em>The Forgotten Seamstress</em>weaves together past and present in an unforgettable journey.</p><p><b>1.</b></p><p>CASSETTE 1, SIDE 1, APRIL 1970</p><p>They told me you want to know my story, why I ended up in this place? Well, there's an odd question, and I've been asking it meself for the past fifty years. I can tell you how I got here and what happened to me. But why? Now that's a mystery.</p><p>It's a deep, smoke-filled voice, with a strong East London accent, and you can hear the smile in it, as if she's about to break into an asthmatic chuckle at any moment.</p><p>They've probably warned you about me, told you my story is all made up. At least that's what those trick-cyclists would have you believe.</p><p>Another voice, with the carefully modulated, well-educated tol3œ