Author(s): Barbara Gaskell Denvil

General

Four brothers, four paths. One heir. Ludovic, the Earl of Sumerford's youngest son, is a slave to his station in life. With three older brothers and an indifferent father, his chances of inheritance are slim and he has taken to a life of secret smuggling as his only source of wealth. Suddenly the court of Henry VII is in uproar. As the first Tudor on the throne, the king's rule is in question with other claimants to the crown. Ludovic's elder brother is convinced that the 'pretender' Perkin Warbeck is the rightful king and gradually draws Ludovic into the conspiracy, one that means certain death if their treason is discovered. Meanwhile, the House of Sumerford is one of brooding unease - each of the four brothers has their own dark agenda and they'll do anything to protect their secrets. Yet amid the conflict, Ludovic finds love, unexpected and passionate. Alysson is not his match, but he is determined to find a way. But danger finds him first. Facing arrest, imprisonment and torture on the rack, Ludovic seems likely to lose his very minor fortune, his barely awakening romance, and possibly even his worthless life. Only fate will determine who is left standing.