The Bride's Bodyguard

Tessa Lorimer seemed to be a source of trouble at every private ladies academy she attended. The rebellious ward of a puritanical aunt and uncle, Tessa renders one final blow to her reputation by supposedly eloping with the family's head groomsman. In fact, she has left England for France in search of her long lost grandfather who, as luck would have it, turns out to be one of the richest men in France. Now after several years, her grandfather is sending Tessa back to England, in the care of the most over-bearing (and, of course, handsome) man she has ever met. What Tessa doesn't know is that Ross Trevenan, a mysterious cohort of her grandfather, has vowed to protect her from a killer who may well have Tessa in his sights. Thornton (Dangerous to Love) offers a cleverly plotted intrigue, but she scotches it by making the heroine a childish shrew. Readers will find it hard to believe that the handsome and sophisticated Ross could be attracted to such a spoiled brat. (Mar.)