Into the Darkness -- Barbara Michaels
I love it how practically every single Barbara Michaels book has the word "inexorably" somewhere in the first chapter. This one? First paragraph.
She's so great. Gothic romance--but still intelligent--escapist bathtub books. And the cover art is always deliciously bad--usually with those horrible romance novel cut-outs.
Watch for the housekeeper. She's a laugh-riot.
This one is set in an antique jewelry store. I'm newly fascinated with Victorian jewelry, especially posy rings and regard rings. (Not those specific rings. Just the idea. Kind of like my fascination with mourning jewelry after reading that other book.)