In this
entertaining historical romance set partially in England and
partially in Scotland, American heiress Virginia Traylor is
forced into marriage to a rich English Count by her ambitious
father who wants to buy a title for the family. Virginia must
leave behind Macrath Sinclair, her Scottish boyfriend (who
for the most part appears more like an angel than a devil),
as she enters into this unhappy marriage. Soon widowed, she
then gets pressured by her mother-in-law to produce a child
(male, of course) immediately to secure the family money.
As her marriage included only one unfruitful sexual encounter,
Virginia finds herself drawn to Scotland in order to seduce
Macrath and become pregnant right away.
This ill-advised secret plan doesn't meet with much resistance
from Macrath. Even though he's hurt by her marriage to someone
else, he easily responds to her romantic overtures. Unfortunately,
Virginia was not completely honest with him about her marriage,
nor is she honest about her intentions this time. Her duplicity
again confuses Macrath and later enrages him when he learns
she bore his child without telling him.
Working out the problems between them is no small matter.
Virginia has considerable difficulty expressing herself honestly,
and Macrath makes assumptions without asking for answers.
Even so, the two create plenty of chemistry together. There's
yet another matter looming over Virginia's plans for happiness
and security: Paul Henderson, a dangerous servant who has
become obsessed with her.
The author has a lively writing style that keeps the story
flowing nicely, despite the distraction of jumping back and
forth through time with frequent flashbacks. Descriptive language
such as "Dark gray clouds skidded across the sky like
puffs from a dragon's nose" makes it easier for readers
to imagine the scenes taking place. Although Virginia's cowardice
and dishonesty soon become tiresome, the story never falters
and remains interesting from beginning to end.
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