The Iron Rose by Gloria Rehberg

Born in Dec. of 1759, Jacques is the illegitimate son of King Louis XV of France and Monique Ledoux, a Lady-in-Waiting. Within hours of his birth, Jacques is illegally adopted to a farm family through the auspices of a black marketer known as Baron LeCoq and his cohort, Damon. Damon’s wife, Elaine, feels an unusual bonding with the baby and determines to keep track of him. Jacques life on the farm, along with his other adopted siblings, is very abusive. The only overt love Jacques receives is from Elaine, Damon’s wife, who visits him and his adopted mother, Lorraine. After Lorraine mysteriously dies, Pierre, the adoptive father, bans Elaine from the farm. Thereafter, Pierre lives in a drunken stupor that motivates the children to leave. Jacques goes to Paris to find Elaine but to no avail. Left homeless and having to steal for his food and clothing, Jacques’ life becomes a fight for survival. The only jobs he can find are in butcher shops. Years later, his oldest brother, Antoine, accidentally reenters his life. One of the only happy times of Jacques existence is when he meets and falls in love with Paulette and she with him. Unfortunately, Paulette is raped and murdered and Jacques vows revenge. Monique marries Benet Jabot who is a Member of Parliament and they have a daughter, Catherine. Benet is known as a compassionate and liberal-minded man although belonging to nobility. Their story gives insight to the political and economic atmosphere and is interwoven throughout the book as Benet and Monique worry about their country’s conditions under King Louis XVI’s reign. Doctor Joseph Guillotine and Benet develop a close friendship as they share their concerns for France. Antoine is head of the gendarmes and gives Jacques, and Jacques only friend, Paul, jobs as jailers in the prison system. Jacques eventually becomes an executioner known as ‘The Iron Rose’ due to his innate compassion for others thereby keeping the blade sharp to ensure a swift death.