A Concealed Affection

by Ann Elizabeth Fryer

When young widow, Tessa Smith, accompanies Emmaline Bartlett to Mayfield Manor, she succeeds in influencing her companion from falling in love and choosing to marry any of the three ne’er-do-well Chinworth brothers.

Yet Tobias Chinworth surprises Tessa when he agrees to help Emmaline escape his conniving family. Perhaps there is good in him after all. In the wake of tragedy, Tessa remains at Mayfield Manor to help him with his ailing sister. Her secret affection for him grows despite knowing that nothing could ever come of it. If only she’d listened to her own counsel.

In the midst of searching for his missing nephew, Tobias receives a death threat and removes Tessa and his sister to his neglected estate, away from potential danger. But is it far enough? When the steward proves to be a gambling drunkard, a plot begins to unravel, but where it leads shocks them to their core. Is Tessa’s deceased husband actually alive? And why had Tobias been told that his uncle was dead?

Sorting truth through a tangle of deceit, Tobias and Tessa discover that love will see them through anything they may face.

Book series best read in order.

173 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 5, 2025

Reviews

[Jessica]

Disjoined, and more like a summary than a story

The story just felt pretty scattered. Something urgent would be revealed... And they wouldn't act on it, other stuff just happened. And the plot was a bit unsure.