Portia; Or, by Passions Rocked

Portia Vibart returns to her uncle's country estate seeking rest from her exhausted life in town, but rest is the last thing she finds. Her cousin Dulcinea bursts into her life like a fresh wind all laughter and conspiratorial glances while the mysterious Fabian Blount watches from the shadows, his presence stirring something dangerous in Portia's carefully guarded heart. The household hums with secrets: why does Fabian remain an enigma to everyone? What tensions simmer beneath the polite chatter at dinner? As Portia settles into the rhythms of country life, she discovers that the quiet estate conceals more drama than the London society she fled. The title whispers of passions rocked to their very foundation, and Duchess delivers exactly that: a romance where feelings long dormant awaken, where every glance carries weight, and where a weary woman must decide whether to remain the composure she's always been or finally embrace what she truly wants. Written in 1888 by the prolific author known only as "the Duchess," this is romantic fiction that understands desire doesn't announce itself it simply seizes you.