A gracious invitation. A beautiful house. A secret arranged too carefully to stay hidden.
When Elizabeth Bennet receives an invitation to Silvermere House, she suspects at once that Lady Ashbourne’s elegant hospitality is not quite as innocent as it appears.The house is admired for its beauty, charity and discretion, but Elizabeth has learned that discretion can conceal as much as it protects — especially when society is determined not to ask the right questions.
Silvermere gathers a select party beneath its polished roof: Jane and Mr Bingley, whose happiness is watched a little too eagerly; Mr Darcy, whose quiet intelligence meets Elizabeth’s own at every turn; the charming and elusive Felix Vale; and Mrs Celia Harrow, a widow whose name is surrounded by sympathy, hesitation and unfinished whispers.
Then a locked escritoire, a hidden letter and the shape of a forgery begin to reveal what Silvermere has so carefully buried.
As Elizabeth and Darcy follow a trail of paper, ink and polite evasions, they uncover a reputation deliberately prepared for ruin, a woman silenced by convenience, and a truth that Lady Ashbourne’s perfect house was never meant to expose.But in a world where scandal can destroy a woman more thoroughly than guilt can condemn a man, speaking the truth may cost far more than keeping it hidden.
With Jane’s future happiness at stake and Darcy’s admiration growing ever harder to misunderstand, Elizabeth must do what she does best: ask the questions society would rather leave unanswered.
A witty, elegant Regency mystery of secrets, scandal, forged letters, guarded hearts and drawing-room justice — perfect for readers who love Jane Austen-inspired mysteries with slow-burn romance, clever clues and atmospheric country-house intrigue.
