P P V RAISE FOR ARTING THE EIL “A beautiful, crumbling mansion in the English countryside; a charming but enigmatic viscount; ghosts; rumors; and a labyrinth of dark secrets, lies, twists, and well-executed turns . . . As if that weren’t enough, add rich atmosphere and an American-heiress heroine determined to settle her own future. Kennedy has crafted a delicious, romantic gothic mystery that will keep readers guessing even as they’re feverishly turning the final pages.” —Megan Chance, author of A Splendid Ruin “I was riveted by Paulette Kennedy’s Parting the Veil, a dazzling debut that hearkens to the best of the classic gothic tradition but with a sensibility that will appeal to modern readers. Kennedy writes with compassion, attention to detail, and the confident prose of a seasoned writer. Deliciously eerie, passionate, and suspenseful, this book is an emotional roller coaster that kept me turning its pages long into the night.” —Jo Kaplan, author of It Will Just Be Us “If you love a gothic tale full of twists and turns and things that go bump in the night, Paulette Kennedy’s Parting the Veil is a not-to-be-missed treat. This debut is the perfect book to curl up with on a stormy night, but don’t expect to put it down easily. And don’t forget the Earl Grey and biscuits.” —Barbara Davis, bestselling author of The Last of the Moon Girls “An American heiress with a scandalous past meets a mysterious British lord in this swoon-worthy gothic thriller. Parting the Veil takes familiar plot elements—a ruined mansion, family secrets—and gives them a sexy, modern twist. This stunning debut from Paulette Kennedy kept me guessing until the very end!” —Elizabeth Blackwell, author of Red Mistress and On a Cold Dark Sea “Parting the Veil is a gothic romance full of sly and sometimes shocking twists and turns, with the requisite crumbling manor house, loads of secrets, and long, haunting shadows of grief. Kennedy spares no mercy for a bucolic English village that teems with lies, forbidden desires, and murder.” —Kim Taylor Blakemore, author of After Alice Fell “Atmospheric and cleverly plotted, Parting the Veil grabbed me from the first page and tightened its grip with each immersive chapter. Whenever I thought I knew how it would end, Kennedy’s haunting debut surprised me, while delivering gothic chills alongside each captivating twist. Clear your schedule to read it in one sitting like I did.” —Elle Marr, Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Missing Sister and Lies We Bury This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Text copyright © 2021 by Paulette Kennedy All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher. Published by Lake Union Publishing, Seattle www.apub.com Amazon, the Amazon logo, and Lake Union Publishing are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. ISBN-13: 9781542032117 ISBN-10: 1542032113 Cover design by Faceout Studio, Amanda Hudson For Della . . . who started it all. CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 3 CHAPTER 4 CHAPTER 5 CHAPTER 6 CHAPTER 7 CHAPTER 8 CHAPTER 9 CHAPTER 10 CHAPTER 11 CHAPTER 12 CHAPTER 13 CHAPTER 14 CHAPTER 15 CHAPTER 16 CHAPTER 17 CHAPTER 18 CHAPTER 19 CHAPTER 20 CHAPTER 21 CHAPTER 22 CHAPTER 23 CHAPTER 24 CHAPTER 25 CHAPTER 26 CHAPTER 27 CHAPTER 28 CHAPTER 29 CHAPTER 30 CHAPTER 31 CHAPTER 32 CHAPTER 33 CHAPTER 34 CHAPTER 35 CHAPTER 36 CHAPTER 37 CHAPTER 38 CHAPTER 39 CHAPTER 40 CHAPTER 41 CHAPTER 42 CHAPTER 43 CHAPTER 44 CHAPTER 45 CHAPTER 46 CHAPTER 47 EPILOGUE AUTHOR’S NOTE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ABOUT THE AUTHOR CHAPTER 1 Port of Southampton June 1899 England was freedom. For Eliza, there was a certain kind of irony in that. A sharp blast of steam announced the SS Evangelina’s arrival, coal smoke billowing from its twin stacks. Eliza steadied herself against the railing, her pulse fast behind her ears. On the other side of a gangway, a new life awaited. A life free of black dresses and scandal, where no one would see the spinster in the crepe-shrouded house on Metairie Road. Here, they’d only see a woman poised between twenty and thirty, with coppery blond hair and blue eyes set in a foxlike face. Best of all, there wouldn’t be a whisper of shame to endure. Not a raised eyebrow or single narrowed glance across a ballroom. At least, that’s what she hoped. The ship found its berth, coming up so snugly abreast a sleek ocean liner that Eliza could have tossed a ball over its railing. She repinned her hat and joined the uneven queue jostling toward the lower deck. “Liza! There you are. You’re always running off.” It was Lydia, her skirts beaten back by the wind as she pushed through the crowd. “Goodness. This weather is a bit cool for summer, isn’t it? I hope we’ve brought the right sort of clothes.” Eliza looked up at the heavy, lowering clouds. It was beastly cold—colder than she’d ever thought summer could be —but she would grow used to it. A life written by her own hand was worth a thousand cold summer days. “Allons-y, cher. Getting off this boat and away from the water will warm us.” Eliza grasped Lydia’s sleeve and led her