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By June Calvin |
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Penelope Jones is growing desperate. Funds saved from her previous position as a governess are almost gone when she applies for the position of governess to the Marquess of Silverthorne. His rakish cousin James Betterton interviews her in London. She learns that this handsome man who flirts so deliciously will often be at Thorne Manor. |
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Penelope rejects the position even though she needs it, for fear of her own susceptibility to Mr. Betterton, who couldn’t possibly have anything honorable in mind. She hastens to leave, but is stopped in her tracks by a painting of Silverthorne castle, and recognizes it as the castle which has haunted her dreams–her nightmares, really–for most of her life. While living in Wales, she began to dream of that very castle collapsing, sending to their deaths all of the inhabitants, including a maid wearing a stunning ruby necklace. The maid often comes to her in dreams, speaking in Welsh, seeming to ask for her assistance. |
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When James learns the source of her distress at seeing the picture of the castle, he is intrigued by more than merely the young woman’s charms and intelligence. The necklace she describes in her nightmares sounds exactly like the one that has recently been excavated from the ruins of the castle, bringing with it some ghosts who speak a foreign tongue and haunt the marchioness, Allison, to the point of making her ill. |
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James uses his considerable persuasive powers to convince Penny to go to Thorne Manor to help Allison with her ghosts as well as to apply for the position of governess. Though Penny doesn’t believe in ghosts, she reluctantly agrees to go out of pity for the marchioness and her own desperate need for employment. Once there, Penny has to acknowledge that something uncanny is going on at the castle, and that her dream people and Allison’s ghosts are one and the same. |
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But what is it they want of her? Repeatedly they bring her the ruby necklace; she is the only one who can handle it without severe discomfort. The maid appears in her dreams, demanding she go to the ruined castle to receive a far greater treasure. |
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In the meantime, James offers her the treasure of his love, but Penny, though she returns his feelings, is unwilling to marry because of a secret circumstance she cannot share with him. |
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Her secret follows her to the castle. Mystery and danger accompany Penny and James as they discover their love while uncovering the secrets of THE RUBY GHOST.. |
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The Ruby Ghost revisits the setting and some of the characters from My Lady Ghost, although it is a stand-alone book. You do not need to have read My Lady Ghost to fully comprehend and enjoy it. |
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This will be my last book, at least for a while, so I have dedicated it to romance writers. May they long continue writing the books we all love so much! |
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Click on Lady Holland! |
