“There’s nothing like a parishioner sitting down and breaking a pew to revise the entire congregation’s view of attending Sunday services.”Simon, Vicar of Ridlington, The Church of St. Simon’s, 1814.

Simon Ridlington enjoys the position of Vicar in Ridlington’s ancient church, St. Simon’s. It’s full of scandalous legends, wobbly pews—and woodworm. With a dwindling congregation and rising expenses, the last thing he needs is an accounting audit. Even worse? It is to be conducted by Lady Ellsmere. In her youth she was Tabitha Worsley, the one girl who was Simon’s weakness. Fate, he assumes, is having a good laugh at his expense.

Tabby never forgot the tall young neighbor who taught her about desire in a sunlit field. Her life since then has taken her down a variety of interesting and often dangerous roads, but now she has returned to Ridlington—and Simon. Is that fire of passion still simmering? It takes a broken arm, a pretend engagement, a secret hiding place and an unexpected threat to get this couple over their differences. Perhaps it’s time for St. Simon to lend a…toe?

(There are references to Book One and many overlapping character appearances, although this may be read as a stand alone story.)