The Temptation of Torilla

CHAPTER ONE 1816-3

Torilla was in fact far cleverer than her wealthier cousin, and it had not been so much a case of her trying to keep up with the older girl as of Beryl lagging behind when it came to lessons.

The Countess of Fernleigh preferred to spend most of the year in London and therefore Beryl spent more time with her aunt than she did with her mother.

She had loved Mrs. Clifford and, when she died unexpectedly one cold winter, Beryl had been almost as grief-stricken as Torilla.

Losing her mother had completely changed Torilla’s whole way of life.

The Reverend Augustus had decided that the only possible thing for him to do was to leave the house where he had been so happy with his wife.

He no longer wished to work in the quiet country village where there was little for him to do. Instead, he had