To Protect an Heiress

Adrienne Basso crafts a spellbinding tale of suspense, mystery, and unexpected passion among the elegant salons and ballrooms of Regency England. . . Blessed with beauty, fortune, and noble birth, Lady Meredith Barrington puzzles the ton by choosing to remain single. Then a roguish bet placed by her younger brothers leads Meredith to impulsively flirt withand boldly kissthe handsome, brooding Marquess of Dardington. A threatened scandal results in a hasty wedding. Theirs is a marriage of convenience, and Meredith is determined to maintain her usual independent ways. Then an apparent accident nearly takes her life, and Meredith, shaken, finds herself turning again and again to her husband, for comfort, for reassurance. . .and more. Trevor Morley, Marquess of Dardington, is less than pleased when he's forced to wed, and vows to avoid his lovely wifeno matter how tempting that soul-stirring kiss in the garden. But when the ton is rocked by a string of savage murders, Trevor [...]comes to realize that the killer has targeted Meredith. He ensures that he's always at her side. . .day and night. Their intimacy ignites a fiery passion between them, and both are stunned to discover that what began in rueful obedience to Society's dictates has become a love match. But can Trevor protect the woman he cherishes from deadly harm? ** From Library Journal When Lady Meredith Barrington's best friend is killed while wearing Merry's shawl, Merry has no idea that she herself had been the intended victim. Now, eight years later, as the result of a wager gone awry, she finds herself in a marriage of convenience to the Marquess of Dardington, widower of her murdered friend, and the target of a murderer who is stalking the women of London in Jack-the-Ripper fashion. Sensual and rather gently paced, this Regency-set historical pairs a lively, outspoken heroine who knows her own mind with a conflicted hero determined to protect her and then gives them a crafty killer to deal with and a marriage to establish all under the critical, unforgiving eyes of the ton. Although more romance than mystery, this light story will appeal to the growing number of readers who enjoy their love stories laced with a dash of suspense. Basso has written several earlier historicals and lives in New Jersey. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From Booklist Meredith Barrington reluctantly agrees to kiss Trevor Morely, the Marquess of Dardington, a well-known rogue, to help her two twin brothers, who have wagered that they can get a confirmed spinster to kiss a rake. The scandal resulting from Meredith's kiss, and the threat of a duel between her brothers and Trevor, pushes Meredith into accepting Trevor's offer of marriage. Complicating matters is the fact that Trevor is still mourning the death of his first wife, Lavinia, who also happened to be Meredith's best friend. At first Trevor spends most of the time trying to avoid Meredith, but when evidence surfaces that someone might be stalking his new wife, Trevor sets out to do whatever it takes to protect the woman he now loves. The sensuously detailed love scenes, undercurrent of danger, and polished writing fuel Basso's latest historical regency, which will draw fans of Amanda Quick and Nicole Jordan. John Charles Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved