Armadale

A long-ago murder unites two distantly-related cousins, one of whom appears doomed to repeat the same tragic mistake of his father, a murderer. After running away from his abusive home, Allan Armadale chases fate and reinvents himself as Ozias Midwinter. He quickly befriends his cousin, also named Allan Armadale, who inherits an estate but becomes encumbered by his newfound wealth.
The cousins' relationship is further complicated by the interference of Lydia Gwilt, a governess and fortune-hunter who was also involved in that long-ago murder.