Cast Two Shadows is a historical novel by Ann Rinaldi

Ann Rinaldi

Ann Rinaldi is an American young-adult fiction author. She is best known for her historical fiction, including In My Father's House, The Last Silk Dress, An Acquaintance with Darkness, A Break with Charity, and Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons...

, a part of the Great Episodes

Great Episodes

Great Episodes is a series of historical novels written by Ann Rinaldi. They combine fictional and non-fictional characters to describe events in history.-Series:*A Ride into Morning , ISBN 0-15-200573-0...

 series; it is told in first-person.

Plot summary

It is 1780, in the midst of the American Revolution

American Revolution

The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...

, in Camden, South Carolina

Camden, South Carolina

Camden is the fourth oldest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina and is also the county seat of Kershaw County, South Carolina, United States. The population was an estimated 7,103 in 2009...

, and fourteen-year-old Caroline Whitaker, her step mother Sarah, and her bratty older sister Georgia Ann are confined to one small room of their spacious Southern plantation home. British soldiers, led by Colonel Rawdon are occupying the place. The Colonel is also courting Georgia Ann.

Caroline and her Negro caretaker, Miz Melindy, travel to get her 'almost' brother Johnny. It turns out he is an American patriot, which causes conflicting emotions in Caroline. Her emotions over Kit's death are still a sore wound throughout the novel.