A house of secrets. A legacy of silence. A love that refuses to be denied.

When Lady Bridget McConnell arrives at Alastair Court, she expects nothing more than a somber house party. Instead, she finds the shadows of a buried conspiracy, a cryptic journal, and a murder that no one seems eager to solve. The last man she wants to rely on is Captain Thomas Grenville, the brooding war hero whose loyalty is rivaled only by the walls he keeps around his heart.

Thomas has his own reasons for coming to Northumberland, reasons he cannot share with anyone-not even the woman who challenges him at every turn. But when their search for answers draws them into a dangerous game with the remnants of the Order, Bridget and Thomas must confront more than old secrets. They must confront themselves.

As tension at Alastair Court rises, the truth edges closer. Every clue unearths betrayals long buried, and every look between them deepens a connection neither expected. But the closer they come to justice, and to each other, the harder it is to separate duty from desire.

Can love survive when the truth is finally revealed? Or will the sins of the past demand more than they can give?

Tropes/Themes:

• Enemies to Lovers
• Forced Proximity
• Protective Hero
• Strong Heroine with a Mission
• Slow Burn
• Secret Identity/Past
• Matchmaking Parents
• Wounded Warrior
• Found Family/Friendship Circle
• Mystery/Suspense Thread