A sense of duty - Sheelagh Kelly

The first of a new Yorkshire trilogy of novels by the bestselling author of SHODDY PRINCE and A COMPLICATED WOMAN. Monty Kilmaster, his wife Sarah and their children live in a mining village in Yorkshire. Since Monty's parents died his siblings have been living with him making the house very overcrowded. Following family tradition Monty and his brother Owen have gone to work down the pit and their sisters into service. One by one the girls have married -- except Katherine, or Kit as she is known. Kit, six foot tall, plump and curvaceous, is the sort of woman men find attractive but do not want to marry. Her flamboyant style and preference for men above her own station are a source of embarrassment to her family. Her sisters warn her that she should forget any idea of attracting a man and instead devote herself to the service of others. Feisty Kit, however, has other ideas, and sets out to prove her sisters wrong. But when, in due course, she finds a man to love he lets her down and she is forced to come home in shame with an illegitimate son. Kit has a long and rocky road before her. Has she destroyed all chance of happiness?