"Passion, mystery and Gothic undertones make this a keeper!"

Alyssa Lockhart blames no one but herself for the predicament she's in. Banished in disgrace from her home in America to that of distant relatives across the Atlantic, she's forced to make the best of her situation. And she'll do just that in spite of the rumors that her guardian, Lord Harris Penridge, is a murderer.

Could the rumors be true? Alyssa thinks he most certainly looks the part - dark, cold, forbidding. Yet, as the days pass, she begins to see another side of him, one that's warm and understanding, and yes, loving. There's nothing dark or cold in the way he holds her, touches her. If only she could decide which is the real Harris. After all, her very life may depend on it.

Harris had never gotten along well with his cousin, Alistair. Everyone knows that. However, it doesn't mean he's up to the task of murder. Rumor has it he's done this foul deed to stake claim to his cousin's title and money, all the while comforting the beautiful grieving widow. Other rumors say he'll pay for what he's done and that justice will be served. So, isn't there enough turmoil in the manor right now without being saddled with the guardianship of an innocent young woman? Graciousness demands that his family accept Alyssa, and Harris will do everything in his power to keep her safe from the chaos that surrounds them. But being her guardian is the last thing Harris can bring to mind whenever Alyssa is near. She has the power to make him forget the turmoil, the gloom, the dark rumors that shroud his life like a pall. She has the power to make him forget that his job is to protect her, not compromise her virtue.

Set in 1885 England, the character motivation and conflict are immediate in this story, the opening lines setting the tone for this perfect blend of passion, mystery and suspense. And what a delicious hero! This is going on my keeper shelf!

Reviewed by Margaret Ohmes
Courtesy Old Book Barn Gazette
Posted March 5, 2003

Summary

After an unfortunate prank on her part embarrasses her family, American Alyssa Lockhart is shipped off to her distant country cousins in Cornwall. Arriving at Penridge Hall, Alyssa finds the mood at the estate to be quite somber since the Trevell family is still mourning the death of Alistair Trevell. Even though the official verdict was that Alistair died of food poisoning, Alyssa hears rumors hinting that Alastair was murdered, with the most likely suspect being Alistair's cousin, Harris, who recently returned from India and has inherited the title and the estate. Alyssa manages to befriend Alistair's hostile young daughter, Meggie, only to be put in the position of having to promise the young girl that Harris did not murder her father. Now Alyssa must find a way to prove to both Meggie and herself that Harris, the man she is slowly falling in love with, is not a killer. A complex, resourceful young heroine slowly unravels a tangled murder in this quietly compelling historical.