He’s not thrilled to discover that his step-mother (with whom he gets along well) has gathered a small party together to welcome him – and that one member of it is the young lady to whom his brother was betrothed and whose father now expects Tristan to marry her instead.

He’s been avoiding going home for a number of reasons, one that he wants to remain in the army, another because he’s sure nobody wants him at Hawesdale seeing as how rumour has it the old duke wasn’t actually his father. Laurens – or even plain Major Lord Laurens any more – but the Duke of Raynham, recently come into the title upon the deaths of his father and older brother. He neglected to tell her before that he’s not plain Mr. Once there, he will send someone to make enquiries about Erica’s sister, and to advise her that Erica is safe and sound. The next morning, with no let up in the rain, Tristan insists on pushing on to his home at Hawesdale Chase. On entering, she discovers she isn’t the only one to have had the idea of sheltering there – there’s a man inside, who introduces himself as Tristan Laurens he’s clearly a gentleman, and although a bit nervous, Erica realises he means her no harm. Telling herself not to panic, she decides to walk to the next village to try to catch up with the party there, but the worsening weather makes it imperative for her to find shelter, at least temporarily – so she’s grateful to come across an old, seemingly abandoned hut. Once she retrieves it and goes back outside – the coaches have left without her.

The group is about to leave the inn at which they stopped for refreshment when Erica realises – to her dismay – that she’s left her journal inside, and rushes back to get it… without telling anyone where she’s going. Playing gooseberry to her sister and new husband on their wedding trip to the Lake District isn’t really Erica Burke’s idea of fun, but she’s keen on visiting new places and excited to examine the flora and fauna of a new locale. I confess I picked this one up simply because I was light on review books for December – and unfortunately for me, I can’t report stumbling upon a terrific book by accident. Craig she débuted a couple of years back, but I’ve yet to see any reviews of her work that have enticed me to try it. This is the first time I’ve read a book by Ms. I haven’t read it, but didn’t feel the lack here this works as a standalone and any bits of necessary background information are quickly filled in by the author. The Duke’s Suspicion is the second in Susanna Craig’s Rogues and Rebels series, and takes as its heroine, Erica Burke, the sister of Cami, from the first book, The Companion’s Secret.

The Duke's Suspicion by Susanna Craig