The Ghost of St. Giles lives on. He is the defender of the poor and defenceless. But the dragoons think he needs to be captured as a pest.
Lady Margaret is married to Godric St. John. She married him when she found she was pregnant to her prospective fiancé and her family did not want scandal but she lost the baby. She believes the Ghost of St. Giles is responsible for the death of the love of her life, Roger, so she shoots the Ghost. When she arrives at her new husband’s home she discovers it was Godric she shot and he is the Ghost. Very soon Margaret explains her reason for arriving unannounced in the city – she wants a child but Godric is unsure as he thought Margaret would be more than happy to reside in the country.
Godric St. John, as the Ghost, is keen to find the so-called ‘lassie snatchers’, those who kidnap girls and use them as slave labor especially to create the patterned silk stockings popular among the ton. He learned his skills to be the Ghost from the original Ghost. During his time with Margaret, he is shot at and stabbed but eventually Margaret understands he needs the protection of his identity so he can protect the girls on the streets. Margaret protects his identity so he can continue his work. Godric appears to have a death wish in that he is still grieving for his deceased wife and takes all manner of risks. He is also estranged from his family as he believes his step-mother dislikes him. He is proven incorrect when he can eventually believe her words that she loves him a she would a son.
Godric and Margaret are pining for past loves and do not believe they will be lucky enough to find love a second time. This is particularly evident when, upon coming to an agreement about a child, they accuse each other of thinking of someone else when they come together for the first time. What Margaret does not know is that Godric has kept all the letters she wrote from their country estate. He often reads them and eventually he realizes he has learned much about Margaret and it helps him to fall in love with her.
As each story is unveiled, we learn of a new person who is the Ghost and the reasons why they have chosen to help those who are defenceless in that time. This is a very enjoyable read and a great addition to the Maiden Lane series.
