title: The Ring on Her Finger
author:  Elizabeth Bevarly 
description: Flaky heiress Lucinda Hollander, the heroine of Elizabeth Bevarly's rambling contemporary romance, The Ring on Her Finger, is forced to take charge of her life when she foolishly flees town to escape being arrested for a crime she didn't commit. With the help of her best friend, who conveniently runs a nationwide network of housekeepers, Lucy lands a job in Kentucky housekeeping for a wealthy family. There she meets sexy car maintenance man Max Hogan, a bad boy who's determined to live a boring life to punish himself for a past mistake. It doesn't take a fortune-teller to predict that Max and Lucy will change each other's lives, but it will take a determined reader to get past the first chapter. Bevarly's repetitious writing style bogs down the narrative, but those dogged enough to reach the end will be rewarded by Lucy's convincing transformation from ditzy daughter into capable wife. <br />Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
zlib_text: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  MY LADY’S PRISONER
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Ann Elizabeth Cree
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Prologue
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  London
  
  
  
  
  
  , 1817
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  S
  
  
  he had never expected to see the ring again. And certainly not on the hand of
  Nicholas Chandler, Viscount Thayne, a man who, as far as she knew, had never
  crossed paths with Thomas.
  
  So, at first, when Thérèse Blanchot had told her that she had spotted the
  ring, she was certain Thérèse must be mistaken. But she had gone to Thérèse’s
  exclusive and very discreet gaming house to see for herself. And when she
  stood by the hazard table and watched Thayne throw the dice, her heart had
  taken a sickening dive. For on the fourth finger of his left hand was a ruby
  signet ring. A ring with an intricately carved gold band, the stone surrounded
  by two small diamonds. The ring was unmistakable. Her eyes had gone to his
  face: a lean masculine face, just bordering on handsome with a pair of cool
  dark eyes. His hard gaze went briefly to her masked face and she froze.