09 - Law and the Lady by Wilkie Collins

Valeria Brinton defies her family and friends to marry Eustace Woodville, a man despised by his own kin. Shortly after their wedding, however, Valeria begins to suspect that her husband is harboring a sinister secret and has been masquerading under a false identity. Her fears are confirmed when she uncovers that he was previously tried for the alleged murder of his first wife by arsenic poisoning, in a Scottish court that delivered a Not Proven verdict - a hint at guilt, but lacking the evidence for conviction. Determined to salvage their love, Valeria embarks on a mission to prove her husbands innocence. Her journey introduces her to the enigmatic Miserrimus Dexter, a disabled yet brilliant man with mental instability, and his devoted cousin, Ariel. Dexter proves to be key in unraveling the shocking truth behind the death mystery.