[An Austen Ensemble 03] • A Gentle Touch

Book 3 of An Austen Ensemble

Anne de Bourgh is now Anne Sutherland, wife and mistress of Middlefinch, a large estate in the south of England. She is satisfied to have done so well for herself, and yet, she finds living with her husband and her new family rather more alarming than she expected.

Her new husband is far more casual than she expected--he gives his son rides on his shoulders, wrestles with the dogs, and concerns himself with all manner of hands-on farming duties.

His mother is an outdoors-woman, happier in the stables and kennels than anywhere else, and only too happy to relinquish the duties of mistress to inexperienced Anne.

And Mr. Sutherland's daft old uncle leads his own strange life on the third floor, emerging only to make disconcerting exclamations.

Even if she can grow accustomed to all this, there is still the matter of learning what to do with the kindness and affection of her husband. Anne has learned friendship; will she learn love?