The Black Benedicts

When Mallory become the governess of Raife Benedict’s niece, she sets off for the beautiful Morven Grance, Raife’s house on the Welsh borderland. Her life becomes inextricably linked with the Black Benedicts, all of them as intriguing as they look. Yet none of them has quite the effect on her as her distant, yet alluring employer. It does not help that he does not seem the least bit interested in Mallory, a plain governess. The story set in romantic Welsh landscapes dates back to the 20th century and was written by Anita Charles, a pseudonym of the English romance writer Ida Pollock.

A must-read for fans of literary romance and surprising twists of fate.



Anita Charles is a pseudonym of Ida Pollock (1908 – 2013), a highly successful British writer of over 125 romance novels translated into numerous languages and published across the world. Ida Pollock has sold millions of copies over her 90-year career.

Pollock began writing when she was 10 years old. Ida has travelled widely, living in several different countries. She continues to be popular amongst both her devoted fan base and new readers alike. Pollock has been referred to as the "world's oldest novelist" who was still active at 105 and continued writing until her death.

On the occasion of her 105th birthday, Pollock was appointed honorary vice-president of the Romantic Novelists' Association, having been one of its founding members.

Ida Pollock wrote in a wide variety of pseudonyms: Joan M. Allen, Susan Barrie, Pamela Kent, Averil Ives, Anita Charles, Barbara Rowan, Jane Beaufort, Rose Burghley, Mary Whistler and Marguerite Bell.