Tall, practical girls might not be worth much in a man's
world, but Miss Lisbeth Moreton knows she's worth more than the squire's prized
heifer. To change her fate she's run off to a date with destiny at the British
Museum. Her would-be suitor never shows, but an unexpected encounter with Lord
Cotwell and his lonely ward might lead to altogether new prospects . . . and
perhaps to love.
Good book. Lisbeth fled her home when her stepfather
attempted to arrange a marriage for her in exchange for a prize bull. She
arranged to meet a friend at the British Museum, but he never showed up, leaving
her stranded with nowhere to go. Hestia Wright, a former courtesan who now
helps other women, asked her to keep an eye on an unattended young girl until
she can return to assist her. Lisbeth and the little girl, Aurelia, connect
quickly. When Aurelia's guardian, Lord Cotwell, tracks her down, Aurelia is
quick to engineer a way to keep Lisbeth as her governess.
Edmund, Lord Cotwell, is a big bear of a man, gruff and
reclusive, who has no clue how to deal with his ward. She ended up with him
when her original guardian refused to even see the girl. Aurelia's father was
Edmund's best friend, and he wants to do the right thing. Hiring Lisbeth
relieves his worries over her care.
I enjoyed the development of Edmund and Lisbeth's
relationship. Tired of how Society treats him because of his size and social
awkwardness, Edmund spends his time shut away in his laboratory working on his
inventions. Lisbeth suffered years of her stepfather's constant denigration of
her looks and abilities. They first become friends as they share their concern
for Aurelia and her grief over her parents' deaths. Lisbeth also takes over as
housekeeper, bringing order to Edmund's home and life. Edmund, who locked away
his emotions years earlier, finds those feelings stirring back to life around
the two females. Lisbeth also feels a growing connection to Edmund though neither
feels that they are good enough for the other. A crisis with Aurelia creates
the opportunity for some soul-searching, but it's a different encounter that
opens Edmund's eyes to the truth. I loved his big moment at the end.
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