Ashworth Chronicles Keeper of the Woods

Tessa, the Nemesis from their schooldays, is back after 20 years.'The Four', led by Ray, have matured into responsible and prominent citizens of the town of Ashworth, roles determined by family tradition. They contribute to peaceful if dull functioning of the town. When Tessa returns, they and the town undergo an unexpected upheaval. From protecting themselves from Tessa as they did in the past, they are now bound to protect her from the forces out to harm her.In her heart, Tessa had never left the land which had claimed her. When the chance came to make the woods her home, hard work and luck made the dream come true. Just when she had settled down as a keeper of the woods, adhering to a long-ago pledge made by the town's founders, she is the recipient of escalating threats. Are the forces threatening her after the land or her extinction?Despite their earlier rivalry, she and Ray enter a truce. He was Ashworth's golden boy while she was Ashworth's ugly duckling. He was the one she could not resist yet resisted. Can she trust him when her land would enrich the town's coffers? Can she go against what her heart wants?No matter the cost, Tessa is determined to protect the woods and maintain her role as a keeper of a long ago promise.