Emma Harte is the Main Character in the Barbara Bradford A Woman of Substance Series and the film adaptations created from that series. She is the beginning of the Harte Saga.

What is a Saga?

A saga is a long story about heroic deeds, family history, or a complicated series of past events. The word comes from an Old Norse term meaning “what is said or told”. Merriam Webster

Emma Harte is married and/or romantically involved with several men by whom she has a network of children and grandchildren:

Edwina [Bastard Child of Edwin Fairly but reared by Emma Harte’s first husband Joe Lowther].

Kit’s father was Joe Lowther.

Robin and Elizabeth are twins. Their father is Arthur Ainsley, a lawyer.

Daisy’s father was Paul McGill.

Daisy married David Amory, and their children are Paula and Philip. Paula is the grandchild who first inherits the bulk of Emma’s empire.

Blackie and Emma are lifelong friends. Probably because Blackie was also poor while he was a young man, Emma would not allow herself the luxury of marrying Blackie. Emma’s early marriages were business mergers–stepping stones toward her getting ahead and/or surviving.

Yet, Blackie is the most consistent male in her life.

Blackie had a son by the kind Laura, who died early.

Ultimately, Blackie’s grandson Shane and Paula marry.

Edwina’s son is Anthony Standish.
Kit has a daughter Sarah [Sarah’s son is Alexander Blackstone who becomes a compulsive gambler. This becomes a family problem and a business problem for Paula, Alexander’s cousin.]
Robin’s son is Jonathan. He becomes a huge problem for the Harte enterprise.

Elizabeth has 4 children:

• Alexander [the gambling addict] He is also called Sandy.
• Emily
• Amanda
• Francesca

In the 1984 series, Emily and Paula are close friends and cousins.

Paula has two children: Linnet and Tessa.
Linnet becomes the second heir to the Harte empire, Tessa is her jealous and contentious sibling.

The sequel: Hold the Dream

Sequel to Woman of Substance is Hold the Dream: