House of Granite — Elizabeth Renier

David Giffard returns to his family home, after ten carefree years in London society, to find his estate in ruins and his family living in poverty. He is determined to rebuild the family fortune by his own efforts - and for that reason, refuses to be drawn into marriage. But he soon finds his stern duty to family affairs threatened by his growing love for beautiful Vanessa Morton - a young widow whose experience of a brutal marriage has hardened her heart against all men.