Sarah, Lady Iverson, has mourned the passing of her husband but she is determined to finish excavating the viking village they were working on. She has shrugged off all the talk of curses, ghosts, and the talk women who think they know more than is wise to keep the excavation going. When she loses workers due to the talk of the curse, she simply hires more.

Miles Rutledge is the new owner of the property on which the excavation lies. He inherited from his uncle. Having served in the army, Miles has seen the appalling neglect of former soldiers who often lost limbs to the war. He wants to properly utilize the property. He plans to offer cottages and farms to former soldiers so they can work and gain their self-respect.

Miles is having a hard time breaking the bad news to Sarah. Her village lies right in a fertile bend of the river. It would make a wonderful farm. Sarah is hoping to show Miles the value of the work she does. At the same time, she is inexplicably drawn to him. Miles is fighting his attraction to Sarah since he has to dash her hopes.

When events take a dangerous turn, Miles will do all he can to protect Sarah and her village.

A LOVING SPIRIT

Cassandra Richards has come to England from Jamaica after the death of her parents. Her aunt has treated her kindly but if it weren't for the presence of her friend, Antoinette Duvall, she would be miserable. Antoinette is an oddity in England. Not only is she a native of Jamaica but she claims to be Yaumumi priestess. They are on their way to Cornwall to visit an old friend of Lady of Willowby's. Lady Royce lives at Royce Castle with her son, Phillip, the Earl of Royce. The Earl is interested only in writing his history of the Peloponnesian War.

Royce Castle is haunted; although the Earl doesn't believe in them. Phillip is annoyed that the visitors will require his attention and pull him away from his work. When he meets Cassie, he is less reluctant to leave his work for a time. Cassie was expecting an old man and is surprised by the attractive young man.

Cassie and Antionette meet the ghosts of Louisa and Sir Belvedere who ask them to bring back the ghosts of Lady Lettice and Angelo. Louisa wants to know where the ghosts go when they leave. A summoning is held in the cave and Lady Lettice and Angelo return to Cornwall. A rejected suitor from Jamaica, Mr. Bates, has followed Cassie to England. When Cassie once again rejects his offer to buy her land and then his offer for her hand, he makes plans to abduct her and compromise her. Angelo overhears the plans and the ghosts make plans to prevent the danger to Cassie.

This book with two stories was an enjoyable read. The first story was a much tighter story with just a bit of mysticism. The second story seemed to bounce back and forth between the story of Cassie and Phillip and that of the ghosts. It was a little disorienting sometimes. The second story would have been benefited from some editing and a fewer subplots.

Book Summary