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Informationen zum Autor Jo-Ann Power is the author of romance novels, historical fiction, and mysteries. She lives in Texas. Find out more at Jo-AnnPower.com. Klappentext As a beautiful American debutante, Raine Montand has charmed all of London. But in secret, she plays another role -- that of Raynard the Fox, whose scorching political cartoons can make or break a career. Raine is devastated when one of her drawings is responsible for making Parliament member Gavin Sutherland a murder suspect. Vowing to make amends, she poses as a widow and seeks a job as Gavin's secretary, in an attempt to discover the truth that will save him.Alone and embittered, deserted by family, friends, and fianceáe, Gavin is forced to resign from Parliament. His only supporter is the lovely but mysterious young lady in his employ, whose assistance could be invalauable in clearing his name. Gavin senses the risk of trusting one about whom he knows so little. But as their investigation continues, both Gavin and Raine realize the greatest risk of all is love -- and the grandest reward. Chapter One "Justice delayed is justice denied." -WILLIAM GLADSTONE May 1877 Chipswell-by-the-Sea Norfolk England Gavin rose from his desk at the first rumble of the lorry up the cove road. His housekeeper had told him two days ago that she'd learned in the village a widow had rented the cottage that stood in his line of vision toward the sea. His first reaction had been, how dare this stranger intrude upon my solitude. His next had been, who dares to break my exile? He stuffed his hands into his trouser pockets and glared out his bay window across the cove as Chipswell's lorry driver pulled up before the tiny periwinkle door and reined in his two nags. The man hopped off of his perch and came round to help down the passenger whom he had collected, with her trunk and reticule, from the train station and brought to her new home. Gavin narrowed his gaze on her. She looked stiff and nervous, jerking her head about from the sight of her new home toward his. He could not see her face for the shadow cast by the broad brim of her hat. But he could detect she was very tall, extremely trim, with a pile of pale blond hair, and a full sad mouth. Her sorrow struck him as a duplicate of the one he had witnessed when he stared into his own mirror. She was in mourning for her husband. He was in mourning for his own demise. He shut his eyes and lifted his face to the sun, which he hoped would burn some warmth into his brain. He hadn't found any for his heart, though. Sometimes, he thought he never would again. Life had been unjust to him. Taken from him family, friends, career, reputation. Hope. What was left to him? Not much -- only his undying determination to find a way to live again in dignity. And though he managed to lick his wounds in privacy until now, this widow stepped into his beloved view of the sea and sands, subjecting him to the sight of her own grief. My God, as if he needed to see more. Raine Montand waved good-bye to the driver and closed her little Dutch door with a thud. She bit her lip, pleased she was here at last within shouting distance of Gavin Sutherland, but scared as a mouse in a hole that she had probably just made the most stupid move coming to this fishing village to seek out the man she had ruined. She yanked off her gloves and strode to the window that faced his white mansion. The house hovered over the rocks and sands like a huge white gull. "Too big for you, alone," she murmured to the man she had never met but watched that fateful day almost a year ago when he'd argued with Sean O'Malley in Hyde Park. "Well, I'm here now. You must deal with me," she told the unsuspecting man to whom she meant to make amends for the awful injustice she'd done him. "I hope you haven't hired anyone yet," she prayed, folding her hands together, restraining he...
