The Wages Of Fame.

Tom Doherty Associates, 1999. Paperback. Very good. Great reader! Light shelf wear on cover, spine creases, clean pages. From Booklist: Fleming continues the epic saga of the Stapleton clan in this fiery sequel to Remember the Morning. This riveting narrative, set between 1827 and the onset of the Civil War, recounts the romantic and political exploits of Hugh Stapleton's grandson, George, and his powerful circle of friends. George Stapleton, heir to a vast family fortune, and John Sladen, an impoverished yet shrewd political hopeful, forsake their friendship, becoming bitter rivals for the attentions of an intelligent and seemingly elusive beauty. Although George eventually prevails and marries Caroline Kemble, their youthful triangle continues to haunt all three of them, culminating in disastrous results for both themselves and the nation. Coerced into government by the force of his wife's burning political ambitions, George becomes a political pawn in a delicate behind-the-scenes chess game waged by Caroline and Senator John Sladen. As the U.S. is drawn into the war with Mexico, the ill-advised actions of Caroline and John have dire long-range consequences for the well-being of the Union. Margaret Flanagan