Student of letters, Micah Yardley wants one thing: to meet the poet Jefferson Dering. After hearing his idol speak at Harvard, Micah travels to Jefferson’s home in nearby Wroxham, entertaining visions of discussing poetry over dinner and drinks. What he experiences exceeds anything he ever anticipated.<br><br>Jefferson finds Micah mesmerizing and passionate, everything he has ever wanted. But after getting caught in a compromising position with another young man a decade earlier, he exiled himself from Boston and from affairs of the heart. Jefferson represses his longing for Micah, but his tumultuous emotions cannot be contained.<br><br>Micah denies the truth of his desire for Jefferson. Jefferson refuses to act on his passion for Micah. But all it takes is a single kiss in Wroxham's haunted church to change the course of their lives ... and ignite the flame that could fulfill a generations-old promise.

A Hidden Beauty

I must admit my own selfish desire to see you resist young Miss Lafayette’s charms, her voice notwithstanding. A married man has certain obligations to hearth and home that may preclude your poetic and scholarly interests. The loss of your voice would be a great loss to the world, though the world does not yet know it. When will you begin to pursue publication?


You honor me with your words. I will wait for your valued gifts patiently, knowing as I do that when they arrive, they shall be spectacular. In the interim, your letters are a welcome substitute. Sometimes, I imagine I can hear your voice as I read them. I find myself remembering your voice quite often, actually.


Might I ask a personal question? You do not have to reply; I know by posing it that I tread a fine line. I do not wish to damage our relationship by eliciting better-forgotten feelings. However, my curiosity is a dangerous beast and compels me to query at the very least.


Chapter 36