The Secrets of a Moonlit Night by Elisa Braden

A swindling governess, a scarred hero, and a ghost with matchmaking in mind.

A governess with a swindler’s past
Sinister rumors of a mysterious figure known as the Half-Faced Man swirl around the ruins of Northcliffe Abbey. But governess Elizabeth Nightingale knows claptrap when she peddles it. So, when the real Half-Faced Man comes to her door demanding she keep her three young charges away from his property, Elizabeth isn’t frightened by his scars. She’s frightened by how easily he sees through her disguise to the woman beneath.

A man who looks past the scars
Renovating an ancient abbey is hard enough without village gossip, ghost-shy workmen, and curious neighbor children to contend with. Architect Thomas Warwick doesn’t need any more complications. And it doesn’t get more complicated than being trapped inside his cellar with the bewitching governess next door.

A night to bring secrets into the light
Battling a blazing attraction neither expected, Thomas and Elizabeth must learn to trust in each other. But can two hearts with so many scars become a match made in moonlight? Or will the abbey’s haunted past threaten a love that’s just begun?

(Note: This story was first published as part of the Dragonblade Publishing Anthology, A Midnight Requiem, October 2022)