She never imagined securing her future would require delving into the past.The year is 1838, and seventeen-year-old Julia Elliston’s position has never been more fragile. Orphaned and unmarried in a time when women are legal property of their fathers, husbands, and guardians, she finds herself at the mercy of an anonymous guardian who plans to establish her as a servant in far-off Scotland.With two months to devise a better plan, Julia’s first choice — to marry her childhood sweetheart — is denied. Then, a titled dowager offers to introduce Julia into society, opening a realm of possibilities.Treachery and deception are as much a part of Victorian society as titles and decorum, however, and Julia quickly discovers her present is deeply entangled with her mother’s mysterious past.
