LORD RAVEN'S WIDOW

In this sequel to The Artist's Daughter (1979), Nora Woburn--now the widowed Lady Raven--is again at Raven's Chase, where her beloved second husband Mark (Lord R.) and their baby Gabriel died in a fire. But, deep in misery, Nora then decides to take off to London, leaving behind the neighboring Raven clan: mercurial sister-in-law Annabel (with nice husband Colin); Annabel's dear sons, of whom Nora's quite fond; and Mark's mad brother Damon, who appears only occasionally with his aptly named nurse--Angel Blessing. So, up in town, Nora visits her naughty artist Papa. More disturbingly, she's suddenly besieged with flowers and visits from arrogant Drake Turner, Mark's hated enemy in the shipping business--who makes an outrageous offer to buy Nora's one-half share of the Raven Line. (She has always intended to leave the Line to one of Annabel's boys.) And, when Nora turns a deaf ear, the dastardly Drake buys out Mark's trusted manager (the other half-owner), forcing Nora to be yoked in partnership. But still more woe soon catches up with Nora: a brash American couple, siblings Seth and Ella Mason, turn up with evidence that Ella was once married to Mark in the States--and that the Raven estate and title belong to her eerie son Brent! Could this be so? Nora has a faint, sinking feeling it might. So she allows the Yanks to come to Raven's Chase; Drake comes along too, for some partnership ""work,"" actually leading Nora into one much-regretted night of passion; the Chase is soon hopping with evil doings. (Brent is locked in a ruined-abbey cell, Nora's portrait is slashed, gothic warnings abound, Mark's ghost gallops over the moor.) And finally Nora must escape death twice before confronting the wicked one. . . whose identity is a mild surprise. Familiar romantic/suspense trappings--but it all jingles along reliably.