The "A Maiden's Honor" cover is full of symbolism. Here's a breakdown of the meaning for each element:
Water: Sarah Campbell's Journey
Flower: Sarah's Polynesian heritage
Tartan: Sarah's Scottish heritage. (This is actually the Campbell tartan.)
Black Pearl: Sarah's rarity. (Black pearls were very rare in Europe during the early 19th century.)
Anchor: Sarah's marriage to a sea captain
Ring: Sarah's Honor