CHAPTER ONE
1903Lady Chiara Fairfax had never felt quite so cold in all her life as the chaise came to a halt in front of a tall Georgian house that stood not far from the towering spires of Ely Cathedral.
Shivering, she stepped down from the chaise onto the cobbles of the little street that wound its way up to the great Cathedral.
It was just teatime, but the sun was already low on the horizon and black storm clouds were blowing across the darkening sky.
A heavy drenching rain began to fall, but Chiara felt glad, as if she waited in the street for a few moments, the raindrops on her face would hide the fact that she had been crying.
It was so kind of her best friend, Elizabeth, to invite her to stay and she did not want to arrive looking utterly miserable.
But she simply could not h
