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Catherine Dickens: Outside the Magic Circle Catherine was the wife of Charles Dickens and the mother of his ten children. After twenty-two years of marriage, Charles dumped her very publicly, accusing her of being an unfit mother and wife. Catherine was blameless; the truth was Charles' infatuation with eighteen year old Ellen Ternan, whom he later made his mistress. When Catherine was plucked out of her family, her youngest child was only six.

Catherine has to deal with the upheaval in her life, and the transition from respected wife of a famous man to discarded woman. The book is about how she copes up with the transition, and her effort to understand her marriage, and her life.

Catherine Dickens: Outside the Magic Circle was published in
2014 as an e book. Two paperback editions, Regular Print and Large Print have been released this month.

This is what amazon reviewers have to say about the book.
"The book is based on well researched facts and documents."
"It is written as if Catherine could have told the tale herself."
" I found it a fascinating tale, although I may never be able to watch 'A Christmas Carol' again with quite the same affection."

Links to book on amazon.com and amazon. uk
http://www.amazon.com/Catherine-Dicke...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Catherine-Dic...

Sharing Chapter 1 of Catherine Dickens:Outside the Magic Circle.

Chapter 1: 19th May, 1858

I stand alone in this monstrously huge mansion, Tavistock House. Charles acquired it seven years ago for our large family, and meant it to be our London home for the rest of our lives. Three floors, numerous bedrooms, a schoolroom so large it was converted into a theatre on occasion, the house is now empty except for the servants, who are somewhere unseen, my son Charley, my mother, and me.
I have no other option left. Charles is bent upon a separation and will not talk. He has moved out of the house ten days ago. My daughters, Mamie and Kate, young women of twenty and nineteen, and my baby, Edward, just six, whom Charles calls the Noble Plorn, and my sister Georgy, have also left home.
I am told Charles is living in his office and Georgy has taken the girls and Plorn to Gad’s Hill, our country home.
Walter, dear boy, is in India, ignorant of what is happening here. My other boys are away at school, all four of them. Yes, I am mother to nine living children but I stand alone in the deep silence of this vast house.
What will happen if I scream? Will the silence shatter? Will I see the fragments, large jagged pieces, splinter into life? What will Charles think if he learns I screamed? No doubt he will disbelieve. He does not think I have the capacity to feel anything, definitely not pain.
My mother has come to take me. She looks defeated. The fight has gone out of her. It has taken Charles only two months to defeat her, and the rest of us.
Helen has not come. She is angry with me. She does not understand why I do not fight for my rights. What rights?
The legal men and Charles’ friends have made it clear to me I have no rights. At least not rights that matter. The law will give custody of my minor children to Charles. Except Charley, my firstborn, all my children are minor.
Charles is being ruthless and cruel yet he does not know it. He is convinced he is honorable and generous because he is making me a settlement; it isn’t as if he is casting me away penniless. What is honorable about discarding a wife who has borne him children and put up with his wishes? What is generous about separating young children from their mother?
But Charles believes his story and he is capable of getting others believe it too. Is he not the greatest storyteller on both sides of the Atlantic? In the world?
He is clever, he always has been. I have been his wife for twenty- one years and have often seen him drive a hard bargain. He should be happy with this one; it is all to his advantage. He is getting rid of his wife on his terms. I know he will do so in a manner to retain his spotless reputation as a keeper of household virtues.
After waiting for ten days, during which Charles has refused to discuss anything except terms of settlement, I know there is no other course left for me but to go away. I will go insane if I have to wait any longer in this empty shell of my home.
“Charley,” I hesitantly ask my firstborn, “may we first go to Gad’s Hill? I want to see Plorn and bless him and the girls. I fear I may not see them again.”
Charley flushes in embarrassment and I understand. He does not want to go against his father’s wishes. Though Charles has not ordered me, yet, to keep away from the children, both of us know he would not want me at Gad’s Hill.
I am surprised and grateful that Charley is standing by me. He is not a minor therefore Charles has no control over him legally but he continues to exert the control built over a lifetime. Charley and the children, my sister Georgy and me, are all accustomed to carrying out Charles’ wishes. His approval and praise are very important to us.
I cannot rid myself of the premonition that I will not see my children again. I have been told that the separation will not stop the children from coming to me but I know nothing will ever be the same. The children will grow up in a home I will not be permitted to enter, and will soon forget me. They will not know my love, perhaps they will hate me. I should write them notes and tell them they will forever be in my heart but I know I will not do so. Charles has already intimated that the children will do better away from my corrupting influence. I am no better than Charley. I cannot oppose Charles’ will.
“I think it is better, after all, that we do not go to Gad’s Hill,” I tell Charley. “Georgy is there with Plorn. She is good to him.”
“Georgy! I’m ashamed to call her my daughter!” my mother said vehemently, “I rue the day I sent her to you and I’m inclined to think Helen and the others are speaking the truth. What has been going on here, Kate? I implore you, tell me the truth so that I can help you and save Georgy from further ruin.”
Charley flushes a dark shade of red. He is a young man and would rather not listen to intimate matters pertaining to his parents. I leave him standing in the passage and steer my mother into my room.
“Mama, I don’t think matters are that way between them. She holds him in high esteem and he treats her a firm favorite,” I say, trying to placate her.
“But you are her sister! Her loyalty is with you, with us. She is a Hogarth, is she not? She has lived with you for sixteen years. She only needed to tell the truth. Her silence is proving Charles’ allegations about you true, don’t you see? He blames you while he is at fault, chasing after an actress who is young enough to be his daughter. Why doesn’t Georgy tell this to his friends and lawyers?”
I have been hearing these arguments for over a month. They lead nowhere. Georgina, my sister, has cast her lot with my husband.
My mother suddenly breaks down. This too is not new. She alternates between anger and tears and only stops when I cry. Then she comforts me.
“Kate, do you realize how difficult this is for me and your father? We have to bear your sorry state and also listen to scandal about Georgy. People are saying terrible things. They say Georgy has lived in sin since she was sixteen. Some gossip even said most of the children are hers, that is why she is staying and you are going. And once again there is speculation about Mary.”
My mother pauses to wipe her eyes and though I know what she will say, I let her continue.
“Sweet, pure Mary! She must be turning in her grave at the things people say, not that I blame them. I could never understand what Charles calls his great love for Mary. He wears her ring; he took it off her finger when she breathed her last and instead of giving it to you or us, he swore to me he would wear it for the rest of his life. He caused quite a scandal when he expressed his wish to be buried in the same grave as her. She was his unmarried sister-in-law and he spoke about joining with her in the other world. Had I not known how sweet and innocent Mary was, I would not have accepted your protestations about your husband’s innocence. And now, this? Is the man mad? If there is nothing between him and Georgina and she has this foolish regard for him, he is honour bound to send her away. Let him have his actress and leave you with the children. Why does he have to tear them away? Why is he orphaning them? Why?”
“You haven’t been listening to his reasons, Mama. I am not fit to be a wife and mother and the children need their aunt whom they regard as their mother.”
My mother dabs her tears away and says, “Don’t worry, Kate. We’ll keep trying and God willing, you will be back in your home and all this will be but a bad dream. You have decided to leave this house so make haste; it will be less painful that way. Shall I call a maid to help you pack?”
“What should I pack, Mama?” I ask, as helpless as a child who turns to its mother for all the answers.
“Leave the packing, I’ll send Helen with Charley later. She will know what to do. Let’s go.”
My mother leaves the room and I look around it. Like the rest of the house, the room is decorated according to Charles’ wishes. Though he had moved out of our room a few months ago, I had not changed anything. The spaces that held his things remain empty, to mock me with the barrenness of my marriage.
I turn back and on an impulse pick up Charles’ letters. I know they are filled with the love of a lover and husband and I need to read them again and hold them against my heart.
I leave my home with my head bowed low. I do not look back at the grand imposing façade of the mansion. I fear the servants are all lined up behind the curtains and are watching.
I will never forget this day.