Catch-as-catch-can
First sentence
She stood in the center of the room, her arms folded across her ample bosom and he could almost see the fires of anger flickering within her...
Description
In a villa on the California coast, a murderer stalks a young heiress Laila Breen is a strangely naïve girl. Her father Jonas is an adventurer, a robber baron who made his fortune traveling exotic climes. Laila speaks French and knows how to order fine food, but she cannot read a newspaper and can barely write her own name. Jonas settles in California, planning to get this strange eighteen-year-old tutored in the ways of practical life. He dies soon after, leaving his daughter rich, clueless, and alone. Her only friend is Dee Allison, a cousin who tries to help Laila even after the orphan catches the eye of Dee’s fiancé. Standing in Dee’s way is a gang of relatives who care more about Laila’s fortune than her future. When a housekeeper falls victim to poisoning, Dee fears for Laila. For a young girl with money, nothing is more dangerous than family.