She never imagined securing her future would require delving into the past.
The year is 1838, and seventeen-year-old Julia Elliston s position has never been more fragile. Orphaned and unmarried in a time when women are legal property of their fathers, husbands, and guardians, she finds herself at the mercy of an anonymous guardian who plans to establish her as a servant in far-off Scotland.
With two months to devise a better plan, Julia s first choice to marry her childhood sweetheart is denied. Then, a titled dowager offers to introduce Julia into society, opening a realm of possibilities.
Treachery and deception are as much a part of Victorian society as titles and decorum, however, and Julia quickly discovers her present is deeply entangled with her mother s mysterious past. Before she knows what s happening, Julia finds herself a pawn in a deadly game between two of the country s most powerful men. With no laws to protect her, she must unravel the secrets on her own.
But sometimes truth is elusive and knowledge is deadly."