It is 1811, and Sir Marcus Bramhall and his family have come to live
with his aunt, Lady Chase. Sir Marcus regards her as a dowager, with no
family, and he thinks he will automatically inherit her estate. Lady
Chase believes that her son is still alive, somewhere in Europe despite
not having heard from him. She confides as much in the parish priest,
Tobias Campion.
The weather is atrocious, it has been raining for
some time now. So, when the sun finally breaks through Campion takes
the opportunity for a walk. To his shock and horror, the governess of
Sir Marcus' daughters and they discover a body floating in the brook.
Dr. Hansard is happy to report that the man is not the son of Lady
Chase. Campion is shocked to find that the governess has decamped when
he and Mrs. Hansard go to check on her well being.
Hansard and
Campion explore the area where the body was found. A pouch containing a
ring is found bearing the initials of Lady Chase's late husband. Is
this a sign that her son is dead or alive? They set off to London in
search of more information. Hoping to discover the whereabouts of the
missing governess, they end up finding Hugo, Lady Chase's son. All is
not well with Hugo. As they investigate further, violence and intrigue
ensue.
Author Judith Cutler gives the reader a number of possible
culprits before presenting the real villain. An enjoyable historical
mystery.
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