Good second chance story. Guy and Cressida (then known as Viola) were set up in an arranged marriage when she was seventeen. They had seen each other only a few times before their wedding day. Just as the priest got to the part of "if anyone knows a reason..." she took off running down the aisle and disappeared, leaving Guy flabbergasted.

Five years later, Cressida is back in the same village, using her new name and living with her cousin. The last person she expects to see as she arranges the church flowers is Guy. Now out of the army, he has been sent by his father to fix up his neglected estate and consider looking for a bride. She's surprised that he does not recognize her and counts herself lucky that she escapes before he can. Though she hopes he is just passing through, Fate has other plans.

They meet again the next day, as Cressida takes a picnic and her paints into the estate park as she is used to doing. She's again startled by Guy, who calls her out on trespassing. Cressida isn't particularly intimidated and, when he asks, tells Guy why she loves his land so much. She is a gardener and landscaper at heart, telling him how she envisions the land. He and his steward, Arthur, later prevail upon her to advise them on what needs to be done.

There are sparks of attraction between Guy and Cressida that both try to resist. Cressida has the secrets of who she is and why she ran from him before that keep her from believing they have a future together. Guy knows he's expected to marry well, and a country miss isn't acceptable to his father. But the more time they spend together, the closer they grow. I enjoyed their times together and seeing how right they were for each other. I especially enjoyed watching Guy worry about her when she got sick after the fall into the lake.

Things become awkward when she tells him the secret that sent her running, but not that she was his bride. When Guy hires a detective to track down his former bride, he also asks the detective to look into Cressida's background. To say that Guy is shocked and angry to discover they are one and the same would be putting it mildly. Their confrontation was eye-opening for both as they argued over the right and wrong of Cressida's actions. I liked that they came out the other side stronger in their relationship, and I had high hopes their troubles were over.

But Fate wasn't done with them, and an unexpected twist put the subject of Cressida's secret front and center again. This was a much more complex issue, and I ached for both as it tore them apart. I wanted to shake Guy for not prioritizing his feelings for Cressida and giving into the fear of scandal. Fortunately, his niece had a better view of what was important and made excellent points while talking to Guy about the problem. I loved seeing what Guy did to make things right with Cressida. The ending was terrific, and I loved seeing the truth come out.

I enjoyed the various secondary characters and their influences on the actions of Guy and Cressida. My favorite was Arthur, Guy's friend and fellow soldier, who became Guy's steward. I loved the friendship between the two men and how Arthur was one of those who helped bring Guy and Cressida together. Cousin Henrietta was lovely with her support of Cressida and belief in the relationship between Guy and Cressida. Finally, I loved Guy's niece, Penny, whose confidence in her Uncle Guy's ability to solve her problem helped him see how to fix his. ( )