The Earl of Chadbourn faces the difficult task of setting his widowed sister's mishandled estate aright. Unfortunately, his sister is no help because she is dosing on laudanum to help her deal with her grief and anxieties. The Earl's nephew, the new Duke, is also a basket case. Although ten years of age, his deceased father punished him for so many things that the young Duke is afraid to try just about anything.
Next door, the Earl finds Catherine Wheatly and her two brothers. Before long, he finds out that they are cousins but not accepted by the Duke's family. This is another task the Earl must sort out in the two months the Earl has with his sister. However, he immediately sets out to dissolve the years of anger between the two families, partly because he has become enamored with Catherine.
The main characters were well-developed and engaging. However, the sister's laudanum addiction ended far sooner than I thought was possible. However, this is a novella, and events happen more rapidly than in a full-length book. This author is a newly-found treasure; I've enjoyed everything I've read by her. I look forward to more of her stories.
Next door, the Earl finds Catherine Wheatly and her two brothers. Before long, he finds out that they are cousins but not accepted by the Duke's family. This is another task the Earl must sort out in the two months the Earl has with his sister. However, he immediately sets out to dissolve the years of anger between the two families, partly because he has become enamored with Catherine.
The main characters were well-developed and engaging. However, the sister's laudanum addiction ended far sooner than I thought was possible. However, this is a novella, and events happen more rapidly than in a full-length book. This author is a newly-found treasure; I've enjoyed everything I've read by her. I look forward to more of her stories.
