title: The Village Spinster
author: Matthews, Laura
description: The Fallen Woman
  
  Beautiful and well-born Clarissa Driscoll lost her family home and social position when her reckless father died, leaving only gaming debts. That was bad enough--but it was even more painfully humiliating when the handsome, high-handed Earl of Kinsford became convinced she had lost her virtue as well.
  
  Clarissa had to demonstrate to this domineering lord that being a woman alone in the world did not make her the natural victim of scandal. She had to block his probing into her most intimate secrets, stand up to his outrageous demands, and thwart his confident designs. She had to prove herself to be a lady who was his equal and more--in pride and propriety--but it became increasingly hard to do as she found herself falling in love with this man who saw her as a fallen woman....