Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Gray

A
CCLAIM FOR
D
OROTHY
L
OVE

“Dorothy Love has a gift for weaving ordinary stories into remarkable books. I enjoyed her vivid descriptions and the well-written narrative of her latest novel,
Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Gray
. Most of all, I loved how Mrs. Love was able to make each of the novel's heroines completely relatable. By the time I finished the book, I felt I had made two new friends.”

—S
HELLEY
S
HEPARD
G
RAY
,
N
EW
Y
ORK
T
IMES
AND
USA T
ODAY
BESTSELLING AUTHOR

“This novel,
Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Gray
, fills in an important missing piece of our shared history. It explores the complicated personal bonds that develop, even in morally complicated situations.”

—L
AILA
I
BRAHIM, AUTHOR OF
Y
ELLOW
C
ROCUS

“
Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Gray
is a beautiful and haunting story of friendship, family, war, and the common threads of love and loyalty that weave through them all. Full of historical details and wise insight into the complexities of one of the United States' most trying times, this is a profoundly important book that I know will stay with readers long, long after the last page—just as it has for me.”

—K
RISTY
W
OODSON
H
ARVEY, AUTHOR OF
D
EAR
C
AROLINA
AND
L
IES AND
O
THER
A
CTS OF
L
OVE

“This excellently researched and readable novel faithfully depicts an era of contrasts with two very different narratives. Two women, two lives, intertwined but ever separate, provide a compelling portrait. Freedom and slavery. Sadness and hope. Biographical fiction at its best.”

—P
AMELA
M
ORSI
,
USA T
ODAY
BESTSELLING AUTHOR, ON
M
RS
. L
EE AND
M
RS
. G
RAY

“A great historical romance with a Gothic vibe that also has mystery and murder. Characters are well thought out; some are hiding secrets and will do whatever they must to keep those secrets, and some characters will do what they must to get closer to the truth. Love has outdone herself in this latest book, creating a unique novel that readers are sure to treasure forever.”

—
R
OMANTIC
T
IMES
, 41/2
STARRED REVIEW AND
T
OP
P
ICK! FOR
A R
ESPECTABLE
A
CTRESS

“Dorothy Love writes with such rhythm and grace. Her attention to historical detail creates the perfect setting for characters we swiftly grow to love and cheer for.
The Bracelet
is a jewel of a story.”

—T
AMERA
A
LEXANDER
,
USA T
ODAY
BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF
T
O
W
HISPER
H
ER
N
AME
AND
A L
ASTING
I
MPRESSION

“
The Bracelet
by Dorothy Love was a fascinating and exciting antebellum novel that kept me flipping pages way into the night. I loved the insight into events that triggered the war, and Love's writing is beautiful and evocative. Highly recommended!”

—C
OLLEEN
C
OBLE
,
AUTHOR OF
S
EAGRASS
P
IER
AND THE
H
OPE
B
EACH SERIES

“
The Bracelet
is the perfect blend of mystery, history, and the quest for love and truth. A great read for not only lovers of period fiction, but for anyone who hungers for a well-told story.”

—S
USAN
M
EISSNER, AUTHOR OF
A F
ALL OF
M
ARIGOLDS

“With a country on the brink of war and her own future uncertain, Celia Browning's faith will be tested and her very life put in jeopardy by the mystery of the bracelet. In a novel inspired by actual events, Dorothy Love artfully recreates the lavish world of power and prestige in 1850s Savannah with unforgettable characters and the attention to historical detail her readers have come to expect. Vivid and entrancing . . . I was swept away!”

—K
RISTY
C
AMBRON, AUTHOR OF
T
HE
B
UTTERFLY AND THE
V
IOLIN
AND
A S
PARROW IN
T
EREZIN
,
ON
T
HE
B
RACELET

“Subtle and suspenseful with exquisite descriptions of antebellum Savannah, Georgia, and a tender love story to boot, Dorothy Love's
The Bracelet
takes the reader on a chilling journey into the mysteries surrounding one of Savannah's most prominent families during the days before the Civil War. Love's careful research and poignant prose provide a story that will delight fans of historical fiction.”

—E
LIZABETH
M
USSER, AUTHOR OF
T
HE
S
WAN
H
OUSE
,
T
HE
S
WEETEST
T
HING
,
AND THE
S
ECRETS OF THE
C
ROSS
T
RILOGY

“Vivid and romantic . . . recommended for fans of
Gone with the Wind
.”

—
L
IBRARY
J
OURNAL
ON
C
AROLINA
G
OLD

“Beautifully portrays an independent Southern woman . . . Pitch perfect . . . A memorable book.”

—
H
ISTORICAL
N
OVELS
R
EVIEW
ON
C
AROLINA
G
OLD

“A beautifully written Southern historical that should appeal equally to Christian and secular readers alike.”

—
R
EADING THE
P
AST
ON
C
AROLINA
G
OLD

“
Every Perfect Gift
is certainly a gift to readers.”

—
P
UBLISHERS
W
EEKLY

“Romance and a strong sense of place recommend Love's delightful Southern-flavored historical.”

—
L
IBRARY
J
OURNAL
ON
E
VERY
P
ERFECT
G
IFT

“Romance, mystery, and intrigue . . . Love gives readers even more than they expect . . .”

—
R
OMANTIC
T
IMES
ON
E
VERY
P
ERFECT
G
IFT

“Love's amazing historical has all the elements readers expect . . . romance, mystery, and characters who want more out of their lives.”

—
R
OMANTIC
T
IMES
ON
B
EAUTY
FOR
A
SHES

“With well-drawn characters and just enough suspense to keep the pages turning, this winning debut will be a hit . . .”

—
L
IBRARY
J
OURNAL
,
STARRED REVIEW OF
B
EYOND
A
LL
M
EASURE

O
THER
B
OOKS BY
D
OROTHY
L
OVE

A Respectable Actress

The Bracelet

A Proper Marriage
(e-novella only)

Carolina Gold

T
HE
H
ICKORY
R
IDGE
N
OVELS

Beyond All Measure

Beauty for Ashes

Every Perfect Gift

Copyright © 2016 by Dorothy Love

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.

Thomas Nelson titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail [email protected].

Publisher's Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.

ISBN 978-0-718-04243-1 (eBook)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Love, Dorothy, 1949- author.

Title: Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Gray : a novel / Dorothy Love.

Description: Nashville, Tennessee : Thomas Nelson, 2016.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016000399 | ISBN 9780718042448 (softcover) Subjects: LCSH: Lee, Mary Randolph Custis, 1807-1873--Fiction. | African American women--Fiction. | Slaves--United States--Fiction. | Female friendship--Fiction. | United States--History--19th century--Fiction. | GSAFD: Biographical fiction. | Historical fiction.

Classification: LCC PS3562.O8387 M77 2016 | DDC 813/.54--dc23 LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2016000399

16 17 18 19 20 21 RRD 6 5 4 3 2 1

For Mary and Selina. You are not forgotten.

1. MARY CUSTIS LEE

2. MARY

3. SELINA NORRIS GRAY

4. MARY

5. SELINA

6. MARY

7. SELINA

8. MARY

9. SELINA

10. MARY

11. MARY

12. SELINA

13. MARY

14. SELINA

15. MARY

16. SELINA

17. MARY

18. SELINA

19. MARY

20. SELINA

21. MARY