The Bride Ship

Deborah reigns supreme in the Historical field. Her charachters come alive and her time periods sparkle.  Halifax, Nova Scotia was a colony of mostly men. Miners, farmers and others came to make a new life. There were people back in England who decided to send an entire ship of young women to make a better life for themselves as brides for this multitude of young men. Unfortunately the letter sent to the Governor went astray and when the ship landed he ordered it away thinking it was a ship of prostitutes. Mrs Finch the chaperone for this bride ship challenged him to a duel for the insult.  The duel became a chess match and the Governor gave his consent for the girls to remain and became an active participant in taking them around the colony to meet eligble men. but he hadn't planned to find himself thinking that Mrs Finch would make a most welcome bride herself to him. But unexpected family needs take Joscelyn back to England with no plans to return on another ship. The ending  is clever and  just what every romance needs.