The Puzzle of a Bastard

Book excerpt: An expert in pottery restoration, Frances Longworth spends her days in the basement of a museum, applying her skills to damaged artifacts so they can be put on display. If only she didn’t have to constantly prove herself to men who expect her to be a man. The bastard son of an earl, Gabe Wellingham eschews a life of leisure by accepting a position at the same museum as an archivist, cataloguing Ancient Greek artifacts. He has no qualms about a woman reassembling the latest arrival from an archaeological expedition. He does find her manner rather prickly, however. Annoying, defensive, and far too uptight for his tastes. So why does he feel the need to pull the pins from her too-tight bun and kiss her senseless? Having just returned to London after a lengthy absence, James Burroughs seeks a quiet place to stay. With the rest of her extended family gone for the holiday, childhood friend Emily Grandby offers him a room at the estate. Secretly grieving the loss of the man she might have married, she never imagines his desire for a perfectly quiet life might also include her. But then, neither does he in The Puzzle of a Bastard.