ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Where to begin with my undying gratitude? How about with Tamar Rydzinski, who talked me through the perils of submitting a new project and held my hand along every step of my worried path. Tamar, I wish I could promise you that I will get less neurotic as time goes on, but I think we both know different.

Jostling for that first spot is Kate Miciak. She’s the kind of editor I might sell my soul for, if it came down to it. And even then, my soul might not be enough for what she’s worth! She knows instinctively what to say—from compliments to reassurances to dead-on critique of every weak spot in a manuscript. And she introduced me to Lee Child!

And then there’s the Penguin Random House team. Julia Maguire has the unenviable task of reminding me of the many things I forget. Shona McCarthy, Maggie Oberrender, Abbey Cory, Angela McNally, Pamela Alders, Caroline Cunningham, Susan Zucker, Liz Shapiro, Marietta Anastassatos, and Susan Corcoran are the most dedicated, talented professionals—each of whom has made every day better since they allowed me into their world. I was visiting London when I got the news that they wanted this trilogy. I nearly burst into tears in Trafalgar Square when I realized I could continue working with all of these people—and more.

Peter Weissman is the most fabulous copy editor ever. His green pencil never (okay, almost never) freaks me out. He deserves special appreciation for this book, which he received sooner than I expected him to. For wading through my many errors, a million thanks.

An enormous thanks to the Romantic Times organization, especially the reviewers who have given so much love to my books. Winning Best Historical Fiction from them was the best surprise of last year—and I’m still a little afraid they’re going to take it back.

And always and ever, there’s my family. I have had many opportunities this last year to remember that, as much as I love my books, I love my people that little bit more. Last June our second son graduated from high school and started college three weeks later—two thousand miles away. Also in June, our beloved as-good-as-daughter graduated from college and left our house after more than two years with us.

The greatest loss last summer was my dear father-in-law. I met him when I was only seventeen and in the nearly thirty years since, his has been one of those few whose good opinion I cared for. This book is his, if for no other reason than because he helped raise his youngest son to be a person who makes every day of my life better. I chose the word “gentleman” in the dedication advisedly—because Dee Andersen was, truly, a gentle man. We miss him.