“Very pleased to meet you properly, Mr. Brook. His lordship found you out on the moors. He said he thinks you were waylaid by highwaymen.” She gave me a look that told me she thought no such thing, nor did his lordship, in her opinion, but she wouldn’t argue with him. [loc. 360]
Thomas Brook is caught up in a raid on a London molly-house, but escapes the pillory and heads north out of the city, living hand to mouth. Somehow he makes it all the way to Yorkshire, where he passes out on the moors and is rescued by the handsome and mysterious Lord Elmsby. As Thomas begins to recover -- and to notice some oddities about Gorsewall Manor, such as the noises in the walls and the sense of being watched -- Lord Elmsby offers him work cataloguing the library.
Thomas finds Lord Elmsby attractive, and eventually realises that this is reciprocated. But then the remains of a young woman are found on the moors: rumour has it that the body belongs to Lord Elmsby's former fiancee, believed to have fled with a mystery lover on the eve of her wedding. Could Lord Elmsby be to blame? And can Thomas continue their relationship, under the circumstances? Perhaps he should investigate the murder himself.
I didn't find either of the protagonists especially likeable or well-characterised. Thomas in particular seemed rather emotionless about having possibly slept with a murderer. I'm happy to say there's a happy ending, but I never doubted there would be -- suspense was definitely lacking.
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