The Bastard (novel)

"The Bastard" is a historical novel written by John Jakes and originally published in 1974. It is book one in a series known as The Kent Family Chronicles or the American Bicentennial Series. The novel mixes fictional characters with actual historical events or people, to tell the story of the United States of America in the time period leading up to the American Revolution.

Plot summary

The story begins in November 1770 in Auvergne, France, near Chavaniac. Philippe Charboneau, a seventeen-year old boy, is living with his mother, Marie, in an inn she inherited from her deceased father. The young Philippe never knew his father. Having kept it a secret from him for years, she finally told him his father was James Amberly, the 6th Duke of Kent. The Duke began a love affair with Marie when she was performing on stage in Paris, but he never married her, making Philippe illegitimate. Their affair was brief and when he returned to England, Amberly married and had a legitimate son, Roger. However, he continued to support Marie and intended for Philippe to inherit half of his wealth. When Philippe and Marie received word that the Duke had taken ill they immediately made plans to travel to Kent, England and stake their claim to his inheritance. Once at Kent, the Duke’s wife, Lady Jane Amberly, and Roger, her son, refused to recognize Philippe as the son of the Duke. Marie insisted otherwise and was determined not to leave Kent until her son inherited what she felt was rightfully his, half of the Amberly’s wealth.

Philippe and his mother stayed months at an inn in hopes that Lady Jane would reconsider, but she never did. The situation became even more tense when Philippe began a sexual relationship with Roger’s fiancée, Alicia Parkhurst. When Philippe and Marie were informed that the Duke had died they returned to his home, but they were not allowed to see his body. Instead Philippe and Roger brawled, and Roger’s hand was badly wounded. Philippe escaped with his life, but his life, nonetheless, remained threatened. Alicia warned him to leave Kent because Roger was bent on killing him. Having not the funds to return to France, they fled to London and hoped to remain hidden there until the situation cooled.

Not knowing their way around the city of London, they made for St. Paul’s Church, hoping to find sanctuary there. What they found instead were violent beggars who tried to rob Philippe and his mother. They were saved by Esau and Hosea Sholto, the sons of Solomon Sholto, a deeply religious man who believed in charity and compassion. Philippe and his mother were allowed to stay at the Sholto’s home and Solomon offered to train Philippe as his apprentice. The Sholto Family owned and operated a printing company and a lending library. Convinced that his claim to Kentland would never be validated, Philippe decided to take Solomon’s advice and learn the trade.

When Philippe confided his desire to immigrate to America, Solomon introduced him to Benjamin Franklin, who was at that time an American trade representative to England. To convince Philippe that America was the place he should be, Franklin praised his native country for its boundless opportunities, but also warned that trouble between the British and the colonist was brewing. Marie was adamantly opposed to leaving England without settling the claim for her son, but then Philippe was attacked by an agent hired by Roger, who had never given up on trying to eliminate his rival claimant. London was no longer safe for Marie and her son and they fled again, this time to the port city of Bristol, to find passage to America. During that trans-Atlantic journey, Marie Charboneau, heartbroken over the destruction of her dream, died of dysentery, and Philippe decided to adopt an anglicanized version of his name, Philip Kent.

Philip arrived at Boston, Massachusetts penniless and for several days he was homeless and starving. Having been in Boston not long he angered a British soldier by accidentally splashing mud on him. He was save from a beating by William Molineux. Through his connection with Molineux, Philip was introduced to Samuel Adams and Paul Revere. More importantly he was introduced to Benjamin Edes, the editor of the Boston Gazette, who gave Philip a job at his publishing firm. It was through this job that Philip met Abraham Ware, who often contributed articles to the paper, and his daughter Anne, whom Philip began courting.

Philip participated in the Boston Tea Party, and then joined the Boston Grenadier Company under Henry Knox. A number of measures were enacted after the Tea Party to punish the citizens of Boston. One of these acts, the Quartering Act, particularly angered Abraham Ware, because he was required to house a British soldier in his home. George Lumden, the sergeant that was assigned to the Ware’s house, fell in love with Daisy O’Brian, the Ware’s cook, and decided to desert the British army. Philip, who wanted Lumden’s musket, encouraged the sergeant to do so and even employed a local boy to assist with that task. But the boy found it more profitable to betray Philip and inform on Lumden to the commander of his unit. That commander was none other than Roger Amberly. Roger went to the Ware’s house in search of Lumden, but found only Anne. When Philip arrived, Roger attacked him, but Philip stabbed his half-brother in the belly with a bayonet. Thinking him dead, Philip fled the city with Lumden and went to stay on Daisy’s father’s farm, near Concord, Massachusetts.

Anne and Daisy joined them at the farm some time later and they informed him that Roger had not died. He was taken to Philadelphia to be treated privately and that Alicia Parkhurst was with him. Anne gave Philip a letter that Alicia had written to him and he left Concord to see her in Philadelphia. Roger died before Philip reached that city. Philip met with Alicia, who made her intentions known to him; she wanted to marry him. Philip was torn, because, though he continued to have feelings for Alicia, he also had feelings for Anne. In a chance reunion with Benjamin Franklin, Franklin gave Philip some information that Philip used to make his decision. Franklin told him that James Amberly was still alive and Philip realized that Alicia only wanted to marry him now because he remained the Duke’s only heir. Philip confronted Alicia and informed her that he no longer loved her and had decided to give up any claim to his inheritance, believing that the immense wealth would corrupt him as it had corrupted the Kentland family.

On his return from Philadelphia to Concord to be reunited with Anne, he ran into Paul Revere, with William Dawes and Samuel Prescott, on their famous “midnight ride” to warn the patriots that the British army was coming. Philip tried to see Anne, but her father would not allow him to, telling him Anne was too distraught when he left her. Then Philip returned to O’Brian’s farm to get Lumden’s musket. Once there, he told Daisy to tell Anne that he loved her. Philip participated in the Battle of Concord and after the battle he was finally reunited with Anne. He told her that he planned to marry her. Then he left her to continue the fight against the British.

Historic figures the fictional Philip Kent met throughout the novel:

* The Marquis de Lafayette was aided by Philippe in an attempted robbery by a local bully, Auguste, and his cousin, Bertram. The Marquis, who said his name was Gil, was grateful for the assistance and became fast friends with Philippe. However, the two could only spend a brief time together, before Lafayette had to return to Paris for military service.
* Lord North, who was the British Prime Minister at the time, arrived at the home the Duke of Kent, during the Duke’s ailment. He briefly quarreled with Philippe over the rights and privileges of the nobility.
* Benjamin Franklin
* Edmund Burke
* William Molineux
* Samuel Adams
* Dr. Joseph Warren
* Paul Revere
* Benjamin Edes
* Henry Knox
* James Barrett
* William Dawes
* Samuel Prescott

Books and Chapters

Book One: Fortune’s Whirlwind
*Chapter I: The Beating
*Chapter II: Behind the Madonna
*Chapter III: Blood in the Snow
*Chapter IV: Kentland
*Chapter V: A Game of Love
*Chapter VI: “A Perfect Member of the Mob-ility”
*Chapter VII: Brother Against Brother
*Chapter VIII: Trap
*Chapter IX: Flight

Book Two: The House of Sholto and Sons
*Chapter I: Swords at St. Paul’s
*Chapter II: The Black Miracle
*Chapter III: Mr. Burke and Dr. Franklin
*Chapter IV: The Wizard of Craven Street
*Chapter V: The One-Eyed Man
*Chapter VI: The Bristol Coach
*Chapter VII: To an Unknown Shore

Book Three: Liberty Tree
*Chapter I: The Secret Room
*Chapter II: Mistress Anne
*Chapter III: September Fire
*Chapter IV: Night of the Axe
*Chapter V: Decision
*Chapter VI: The Sergeant
*Chapter VII: Betrayal
*Chapter VIII: Journey to Darkness

Book Four: The Road From Concord Bridge
*Chapter I: The Letter
*Chapter II: A Death in Philadelphia
*Chapter III: Alicia
*Chapter IV: Too Much for the Whistle
*Chapter V: Alarm at Midnight
*Chapter VI: “God Damn It, They Are Firing Ball!”