One winter’s day in 1673 young John Ridd is riding home from school, across the wild lonely hills of Exmoor. He has to pass Doone valley – a dangerous place, as the Doones are famous robbers and murderers. All Exmoor lives in fear of the Doones.
At home there is sad news waiting for young John, and he learns that he has good reason to hate the Doones. But in the years to come he meets Lorna Doone, with her lovely smile and big dark eyes. And soon he is deeply, hopelessly, in love . . .
Glossary
- attack: (v) to start fighting someone or something; attack (n) an attempt to hurt someone or something
- bog: very soft, wet ground that pulls you down
- darling: a word for someone that you love very much
- defend: to fight to keep away dangerous things or people
- earl: a title for a man from a very grand family
- evil: very bad
- fire: (v) to shoot a gun
- force: (v) to make someone do something when they do not want to
- gap: an opening in something, or between two things
- inn: a house or small hotel where you can get meals and drinks, and a room for the night
- lord: a title for a man from an important family
- master: a man who has servants working for him
- mistress: a woman who has servants working for her
- moor: open, wild, high land
- rebel: a person who fights against his country’s leaders
- sand: the soft, yellow or white earth that is found on beaches by the sea
- signal: a sign (e.g. a flag or a light) that sends a message to someone
- size: how big or small something is
- strength: being strong
- Saint Valentine’s Day: February 14th; a day when lovers give each other cards and sometimes presents
- tightly: very closely and strongly