My Lord Beast — Mary Lennox

When Aubrey Drelincourte regains consciousness in an Indian jungle, his wife lies dead by his side, felled by a bullet from the pistol in his hand. Aubrey returns to England to defend himself in a trial before the House of Lords. His cousin and heir, Rupert Hindley, also returns from India accusing him of the murder. Aubrey vows Hindley won't win the deadly match set up between them and plans to marry as soon as possible and sire an heir before his rendezvous with the hangman. Then one twilit winter night, he meets Lilias Merrit, the daughter of a recently ruined merchant, who is escaping her betrothal to a sadistic farmer. Aubrey is drawn to the beautiful nurse-companion. But the couple's growing passion is tempered by the knowledge that Hindley will return any day to spread his venomous accusations all over England. To free himself from the past, and begin a new life with the woman he loves, Aubrey will have to risk everything to save both her - and himself.

Mary Lennox lives with her husband and assorted animals on an idyllic horse farm in Ohio. (20050315)