Under the Witness Tree by Marianne K. Martin

After inheriting an old plantation house from an aunt she didn't know existed, Dhari Weston heads 800 miles south to see the place and meets intriguing Dr. Erin Hughes, a local history professor with a passion for old houses. Dhari's life is complicated enough without meeting such an attractive and intelligent woman: Her mother needs her, her father relies on her and her girlfriend worries her. But when Erin finds old letters and a diary, Dhari knows she can't leave until she finds out the truth . . .

Marianne K. Martin is the best-selling author of five novels including Mirrors and Love in the Balance.