(Highest ranking #1 in historical fiction) For one simple and frustrating reason, Hadassah is unable to inherit her dead parents' fortune; she is an unmarried woman. Foreseeing this risk, Lord Hadley, before he passes in a ship wreck, creates a Trust, transferring title to his entire life's fortune, to his brother until Hadassah is married and title to his fortune can be passed to her husband. Hadassah however, has until she turns eighteen, a year from now, to find a man, get married and regain possession of her family's fortune or lose everything to her greedy uncle. With an uncle willing to do anything to stand in her path of regaining her inheritance, her only option is to run away from home, travel to Birmingham, serve a blind master and hope that in the process, she can find a husband as well. •~•~• Daniel Talbot has despised his inability to see for as long as he can remember. He however never imagined that his lack of sight would eventually strip him of his birthright. Desperate, Daniel is willing to settle for a marriage of convenience to protect what is left of his pride.

An heiress to one of Britain's most impressive fortunes, Cordelia Gardiner has always done what her strict father expects her to, manage the estate, host dinners, mind her manners. After years of adhering to his demanding expectations, however, Cordelia begins exploring the world outside of her own gilded cage. What she never expected was to encounter a world of love and of loss, of charming Lords and deceiving Ladies. [COMPLETED] RANKS: #1in Edwardian (11/19/2020) (02/16/2021) #3 in 19th Century (06/12/2021) #1 in Downton Abbey (10/30/2020) #53 in History (01/30/2022) #4 in Fiction (01/27/22)

"Britain, 1840s Prince William Harry Harrington, the eldest son of the British monarch, stood atop the grand balcony of Windsor Castle, gazing out at the sprawling gardens below. His thoughts, however, were far from the lush greenery and vibrant flowers. They were consumed by the weight of his responsibilities, the expectations placed upon him, and the looming prospect of marriage to the Lady Katherine, a union that would secure the future of the British Empire. But little did William know, the fate of the empire was about to become entwined with that of a young woman from a far-off land, a woman whose life was about to be forever changed by the tides of colonialism. In the Gold Coast of Africa, a region that would soon become known as Ghana, the British were making their move, staking their claim on the rich resources and strategic ports. The drums of war were beating, and the lives of Prince William and Ama, a young Ashanti woman, were about to become inextricably linked in a dance of love, loyalty, and rebellion."