In Victorian England, a wealthy young widow encounters the pleasures--and scandalous pitfalls--of a London social season as she welcomes her sister from New York for her first London season. When the police receive an anonymous letter implicating her in her husband's death, she begins to wonder if he was murdered, might she be next.

"London is known for its bustle and intrigues, but the sedate English countryside can host -- or hide -- any number of secrets. Frances, the widowed Countess of Harleigh, needs a venue for her sister Lily's imminent wedding, away from prying eyes. Risings, George Hazleton's family estate in Hampshire, is a perfect choice, and soon Frances, her beloved George, and other guests have gathered to enjoy the usual country pursuits -- shooting, horse riding,...

"On the eve of her marriage to George Hazelton, Frances has a great deal more on her mind than flowers and seating arrangements. The Connors and the Bainbridges, two families of American robber barons, have taken up residence in London, and their bitter rivalry is spilling over into the highest social circles. At the request of her brother, Alonzo, who is quite taken with Miss Madeline Connor, Frances has invited the Connor family to her wedding....