Publisher's Synopsis
Four brothers, four very different paths... One heir With three older brothers, Ludovic expects no inheritance, no sympathy and no surprises. He has taken to a life of secret smuggling as his only source of income. Meanwhile the Sumerford home is one of brooding unease. Each of the four brothers has his own dark agenda and protects his secrets. Yet amid the conflict, Ludovic finds love, unexpected and passionate. Alysson does not at first appear to be his match, but he is determined to find a way to keep her. Yet these are dark years in England's history and with the first of the Tudor dynasty on the throne, the fledgling rule is under threat from other claimants to the crown. One of the Sumerford brothers supports the 'pretender' Perkin Warbeck and gradually draws Ludovic into the conspiracy. Treason, if discovered, means certain death but when escaping from one danger, the twists of mystery and subterfuge can lead to others. Following arrest, imprisonment and torture in the Tower, Ludovic seems likely to lose his very minor fortune, his barely awakening romance, and possibly his worthless life. But once again, not everything is as predictable as it would seem.
