The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen

When her scheming step-father tries to get her to marry his nephew by unseemly means Margaret Macy must run away. Margaret will receive an inheritance from an aunt when she reaches her 25th birthday. Her step-father is after that money. Margaret must disappear for a few months so that she cannot be forced into a marriage with her step-father's nephew.

Margaret dresses as a servant and leaves her mother's home with a maid that has been dismissed. Promising to write Joan a letter of recommendation the women end up in the town by Fairbourne Hall. Home to Nathaniel Upchurch and his brother Lewis. Margaret had refused Nathaniel's proposal of marriage a few years before when she imagined herself in love with his brother Lewis. Now she has become the new maid in their home.

Margaret hopes that her disguise will keep Nathaniel and his brother from recognizing her. She is sure though that their sister Helen(being a woman and much more observant than her brothers) knows exactly who she is. Learning the job of a maid gives Margaret(now Nora) a much better understanding of the servants she has always taken for granted around her. When Margaret's family shows up for a masquerade ball will her secret become known, and will she be forced into a marriage that she does not want?

I really enjoyed this story! I loved reading all of the ins and outs of the servants and how they related to the elite. I liked how Margaret's pride was able to turn into compassion for the servant's who worked for her family. I think that the love between Margaret and Nathaniel needed to be a bit more developed. Nathaniel never stopped loving Margaret, although he tried, but they didn't seem to spend much time together for him to see the change in Margaret. I really enjoy Julie Klassen's books and the characters that she portrays.