Caryl C. Block

An unconventional love . . . A dark secret . . .

He knew the only way the abuse would end was to run away from Landfield, away from him . . . or die. But as Richard Royce looked into the green eyes of Clarinda Matthias, his employer’s niece, he felt something he had not felt in a very long time—hope—and he knew in his heart he would never leave her. As for Clarinda, she knew her love for the tall servant with the sad, dark eyes was real, even though it defied every convention of someone of her class and position.

It was a love that would be tested when a diplomatic correspondence between Clarinda’s uncle, State Department official Jack Matthias, and the ruler of a small German kingdom becomes a battle for power at Jack’s doorstep, endangering not only the life of his guest but also his entire household.