The dark rose

the long version

Paul was led into a life of crime by his boyhood protector. One night, a petty theft turned into murder. Now Paul must bear witness against his friend to avoid prison. Louisa's dark secrets led her to flee a desperate infatuation gone wrong many years before. Now her days are spent renovating the grounds of a crumbling Elizabethan garden. Her fragile peace is shattered when she meets Paul, the spitting image of the person she never thought she'd see again.