Trust

Dorothy Osborne, the daughter of a staunch Royalist, met William Temple, whose father favoured Oliver Cromwell, towards the end of the English Civil War. Despite strong opposition from both families, the couple embarked on a seven-year courtship, mostly through letters ¿ many now found in the British Library. When they eventually married, William went on to achieve a place in history as a diplomat and gifted essayist. But along with worldly success there was private tragedy.

Told from two female perspectives, `Trust¿ explores the complicated relationships within the Temple household. Despite being a diplomat of integrity and honour, Temple was a man of his times. There were rumours that he was the father of Esther Johnson, his housekeeper¿s daughter (and Jonathan Swift¿s `Stella¿).

The marriage of Dorothy Osborne and William Temple has gone down through history as a celebrated love story. Rita Dallas¿s research suggests there may have been darker aspects.

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