Does love truly conquer all? Or is sadness inescapable? Is it worth the effort required to be free of its dark downward pull?
The Victorian Age has been kind indeed to Gardiner-Bingley Enterprises, third largest company in Great Britain. Gardinerโs Emporium warehouses in London and Scarborough, and most recently expanded to include Bristol and New York City, are well supplied by the partnership with Bingley Shipping and Bingley Woolen Mills now headed by patriarch Charles Bingley. His second son, Thomas, is blessed with everything the mortal heart can most desireโgood looks, splendid property, noble kindredโand his own ship.
He enjoys his well-ordered life until the day he looks into the eyes of his heartโs partner and recognizes her for who she is. But mystery surrounds her. Why is a gentlewoman, a peeress, booked aboard a freight steamer enroute to Americaโwithout a maid or companion? Why does she deflect all questions about herself or her future plans?
Like his father before him, Thomas quickly comprehends that he has found his โangelโ. But will she fly away before he can convince her to stay?
Although there is no explicit content in this story, it does deal with the sensitive topic of successfully recovering from sexual, physical, and emotional violence to find that life can still include โjewels on the waterโ.
This is a clean read appropriate for readers 17 and older.
Novella of 32,500 words, 120 pages
Total of 43,450 words including excerpts from 3 other stories
150 pages total