Need help finding a book title!

[tnbkfan1]

I read a paperback years ago, accidently lost it and now I NEED it back! I have spent the last 2 years googling to no avail. Here's the story line. A younger woman, who is a short-hand/stenographer, goes to work for an older wealthy man, moving into the mansion where he lives, until her assignment is completed. She finds out that he has been suspected of killing his first wife, who died one night, when she fell off the cliff in the back of the mansions property. It was suspected that he pushed her to her death. The man is going through a divorce from his 2nd wife, (Judith or Edith?), who he keeps trying to intercept her contacting his 20ish son. The man is becoming attracted to the young woman but so is his son. The young woman is hearing local gossip and noticing things that start making her believe the guy did in fact kill his wife. One night she goes outside and is walking near the edge of the cliff and she notices something shiny buried in the dirt, on the side of the cliff, which when she digs one out, finds that they are marbles. In the end, it is discovered that the soon to be ex-wife was being lewd with the son; the son has "spells" and speaks about strange things pertaining to his mothers death, then it is discovered that the night that his mother fell off the cliff, she was not pushed, she went out side to scold Jeffrey? for playing to close to the cliff, she slipped on his marbles and fell over. Someone please help

[gardengirl]

Hi there,

I'm going to have a hard think about this because it sounds really familiar, and am sure that I have read it, but years and years ago think it was by a female British writer , but...... hmmmmn it's there on the edge of my memory somewhere!

[gardengirl]

Could it be a novel by Victoria Holt, set in Cornwall? Mistress of Mellyn or Bride Of Pendorric?