The Lady Who Drew Me In. Thomasine Rappold
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Cover Copy
Daisy Lansing’s ability to transfer images from people’s thoughts onto paper was a novelty she used to trot out to amuse her friends. But when her “entranced drawing” begins to cause serious trouble for her guardians, she is banished to the country and forced to marry a man twice her age. After the joyless wedding, Daisy is determined to bury forever the strange skill that upended her life. However, she soon finds herself a widow and in dire financial straits. Suddenly, her curse may be her one chance at true independence.
Jackson Gallway’s reputation as a rogue has far surpassed his success as a lawyer. In the wake of yet another scandal, he decides to head west. But before he can escape Misty Lake, Jax makes a promise to find an elusive killer. When he encounters a lovely young artist with an unusual talent that could help him in his search, what he finds is something neither of them can escape . . .
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Books by Thomasine Rappold
The Sole Survivor Series
The Lady Who Lived Again
The Lady Who Saw Too Much
The Lady Who Drew Me In
Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation
The Lady Who Drew Me In
A Sole Survivor Novel
Thomasine Rappold
LYRICAL PRESS
Kensington Publishing Corp.
www.kensingtonbooks.com
Copyright
Lyrical Press books are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp. 119 West 40th Street New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2016 by Thomasine Rappold
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First Electronic Edition: December 2016
eISBN-13: 978-1-61650-995-8
eISBN-10 1-61650-995-3
First Print Edition: December 2016
ISBN-13: 978-1-61650-996-5
ISBN-10: 1-61650-996-1
Printed in the United States of America
Dedication
For my daughters, Carlie and Andrea, whose kindness, independence, and strength make me smile every day.
Acknowledgements
As always, thank you to my agent, Stefanie Lieberman; my editor, Paige Christian; Kimberly Richardson, Michelle Forde, Lauren Jernigan, and the rest of the team at Kensington/Lyrical for all the hard work you do to make me look good. Thank you to the Capital Region Romance Writers and my critique partners (the BFS), for being there through the crazy ups and downs, and for all the laughs in between. Special thanks to my family, friends, and readers, for the ongoing support. Much love to you all.
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Chapter 1
Misty Lake, New York, 1885
The man was controlling her from six feet under. Daisy Lansing stared up at the portrait of her late husband, so angered by his betrayal she could scream. Monthly allowance, my foot.
With a sigh, she slumped into the high-back chair behind the large desk, fighting back tears. All his promises, all these years… He’d lied, and then he’d died, taking the independence she’d thought would finally be hers along with him. Not to mention her dream of opening a day home for working-class children. The crushing reality weighed on her shoulders, tightening her neck muscles into knots.
She glanced to the large bay window, watching her latest financial prospect scurry to his carriage, then speed away in a cloud of dust. Failed attempts to secure an investor for her plans for the home were mounting as high as the stacks of neglected paperwork on the desk in front of her. Completing her latest painting had taken its toll. And she’d yet to be paid for the blasted thing.
She checked the hour on the gold watch around her neck. Her appointment with William Markelson was at three o’clock, so she had only minutes to brace herself for more bad news. Rubbing her temples, she soothed the budding throb of a headache. At the sound of a woman’s laughter outside, Daisy glanced to the window. Felice Pettington.
Daisy shot to her feet. “It’s about time,” she mumbled, scooting around the desk for a closer view. Misty Lake’s most celebrated summer guest strolled up the walkway, blond spit curls bobbing beneath her stylish bonnet as she slathered her charms on the tall man at her side.
And who do we have here?
Daisy craned her neck toward the window. The pretty heiress nestled against her handsome escort, her gloved hands like twin boa constrictors coiled around his arm. Curious as to whom the woman had snared to join her on the impromptu visit, Daisy hurried out to the porch.
Felice’s sweeping yellow skirts brushed the blooming shrubs flanking the stone walk, stirring petals and the scent of rhododendrons through the air. Her mousy maid followed in the flurry.
“Yoo-hoo!” Felice unfurled her grip on the man just enough to wave her gloved fingers. “This is Mr. Gallway.” She leaned toward the man’s impressive shoulder, batting her lashes as they stepped up to the porch. “Mr. Gallway is from Troy.”
Daisy’s heart lurched, as it always did, at the mention of Troy. Even after all this time, the painful memories of her past in the city hadn’t faded a whit.
Felice smiled smugly. “He’s an attorney.”
Daisy took a deep breath. Of all the lawyers Felice might have cajoled to browbeat Daisy on her behalf, the woman had enlisted a relative of Daisy’s closest friend. Tessa Gallway had gushed that her rakish brother-in-law was handsome, but the simple description hardly did him justice.
Daisy gave a slow nod, her aversion to lawyers suffering a brief lapse as she studied him closer. Layers of wavy black hair matched his thick brows and the sideburns that led to his jaw. His sapphire eyes sparkled in the sunlight.
And his mouth. Good Heavens, his mouth. Daisy swallowed hard, awed by her response to the man. He was nothing like she’d imagined, yet everything portrayed in the gossip. A notorious rogue intent on skirting marriage