Book excerpt: Bestselling author Suzanne Robinson takes readers back to the days of the Civil War, as passions run high and even a proper British lady cannot resist the pull of history—or the rugged charms of a Union spy. Visiting friends in Mississippi, Lady Eva Sparrow hopes to escape the tedium of London society’s social calendar. Instead she is appalled by the slavery she finds in the South. Though she is a British citizen, her heart demands that she do something to improve the slaves’ lot. But little does the lady imagine that she possesses the tools for espionage, the influence to turn the tide of a Confederate plot, and the courage to root out a rebel assassin. Texan Ryder Drake works for President Lincoln, setting up a network of spies across the Confederacy. Seeking Britain’s support, Ryder is introduced to Lady Eva, who has powerful political connections in London. Unwilling to trust the fate of the Union to a silly socialite, he dismisses the lovely lady—until her sharp wit and intelligence win him over . . . head and heart. And though Eva is no innocent, just one dangerous glance from Ryder sets her pulse racing—and readies her spirit to risk everything to help him infiltrate society’s highest circles.