Sometimes, a loss will bring gain, but the question is - for whom?
Hiding the Truth - (A Marriage of Convenience - Part 3) - (Linmore Series Book 7) continues the family saga at Linmore Hall, as the aftermath of a marriage becomes a battle on which the future of Linmore and that of a child depends. Set in Shropshire during the Post-Napoleonic Regency era (1817-1818). (A Sequel to Estrangement)
Linmore is in turmoil. Joshua Norbery's marriage ended in childbirth, but life goes on. He has a son in the nursery, whose parentage is in question. Whilst the Law supports his claim as a father; the truth does not, for Joshua Norbery is a cuckold. A fact he cannot admit.
Having reneged on a promise to return the Linmore mortgage on the birth of a grandson; Arthur Bradstone blames Joshua for his daughter's loss and demands the child is given into his care. Joshua refuses, claiming that the baby, allegedly part of a twin pregnancy, was born early. To support the pretence, he enlists the help of his physician and gains a few months' grace, until the baby's first birthday.
Tensions escalate when Bradstone's treachery forces Joshua to strengthen the Linmore defences. Now he must exploit a weakness in the other man's armour, knowing that Bradstone will stop at nothing to defeat him. An offer of help brings conditions Joshua must agree, without knowing if the task can be achieved. Dare he trust his instincts? Only when Linmore is safe can he find a new mother for his children.
Miss Maria Dinchope, one of a few people aware of the true situation, is anxious about what will happen if Arthur Bradstone's threat against Joshua comes to fruition. Will Maria be forced to leave Linmore, and its master, to find a new position; and if so, where would she go...? What will she do?
News from a long-lost friend causes a crisis of conscience. Maria must decide which takes precedence; old loyalties with family links, or Linmore, and the persona she adopted? Dare she, for once, consider her own needs - and if she does, what is left for her at Linmore...?
