Sycamore Dorning has watched one sibling after another succumb to the blandishments of wedded bliss, while he has grown wealthy and–deuce take it–lonely. He loves the ladies generally, though he waits in vain for the woman who can love him in all his contrary, stubborn, outspoken glory.
Jeanette, Marchioness of Tavistock, endured six years of wedded purgatory before earning the independence of widowhood. She’s admittedly attracted to Sycamore. He’s refreshingly blunt, no slave to convention, and loyal to those he cares about. When trouble stalks her, she turns to Sycamore for help, because she would trust him with her life. But will she trust him with her heart?
Fabianus Haviland, Viscount Penweather, did not journey to the wilds of Dorsetshire in the dead of winter to engage in yet another dalliance with yet another lonely widow. Being a trifle lonely himself–only a trifle–he’s looking for a fresh start in fresh surrounds.
Fabianus has always enjoyed the company of sensible women, though, and Lady Daisy is very sensible. Her ladyship doesn’t mince words regarding disappointing marital experiences, is ferociously devoted to her children, and has an immediate rapport with Penweather’s small daughter. When Daisy’s happiness is threatened by her in-laws, Penweather is honor-bound to intervene. Soon Daisy will have to choose, between her children and the man who makes her dream once again of the kind of happily ever after she’d thought could never be hers.
Miss Abigail Abbott desperately needs to disappear, and the only person she trusts to help her do that is Lord Stephen Wentworth, heir to the Duke of Walden. Stephen is brilliant, charming, and—when he needs to be—absolutely ruthless. So ruthless that he proposes marriage instead of a mock murder to keep Abigail safe.
Stephen knows that Abigail has the dignity and determination of a duchess and the courage of a lioness. When she accepts his courtship of convenience, he also discovers she kisses like his most intimate wish come true. For Abigail, their arrangement is a sham to escape her dangerous enemies. For Stephen, it’s his last, best hope to share a lifetime with the lady his dreams—if he can convince her his love is real.
Ash Dorning has loved Della Haddonfield from afar for years. He has played the part of the cordial family connection and battled every demon from lack of funds, to meddling relatives, to a recurring case of the blue devils–while other men have won Della’s smiles. When Della lands in the midst of scandal, those fellows who fawned over her hand disappear behind the nearest potted palms, leaving Ash to waltz to the rescue.
Della is compromised by a thoroughgoing bounder, and only Ash’s loyalty stands between her and hopeless ruin. But Ash has played least in sight with her for too long, and too many secrets lie between them for Della to believe that Ash is motivated by anything other than gentlemanly duty. When troubles comes calling once again, Ash and Della either learn to trust their love, or they will lose everything they hold dear—including each other.
Robert Rothmere is hiding a past no duke should have endured, but he’s not hiding it well enough. Sooner or later, his enemies will learn that he spent years locked away at a private asylum. To get their hands on his wealth, they’ll try to send him right back to his worst nightmares. If Robert is to foil their schemes, he needs to marry a perfectly proper, blessedly boring, deadly dull duchess, immediately — and he knows exactly which quietly delightful lady he’d love to entrust with that role.
Lady Constance Wentworth has cultivated a reputation for utter forgettability. She never speaks out of turn (in public), never has a daring thought (that she admits aloud), and never comes close to courting scandal… as far as anybody knows. Her path crossed Robert’s years ago, though, and she’s never forgotten the extraordinary lengths he traveled to keep her safe when she hadn’t a friend in the world. She longs to be his demure duchess…but little does he know that to marry her would be utter madness
Oak Dorning is an artist determined to take his place among London’s most successful portraitists. Town life is expensive, though, so a temporary post restoring a few old paintings for a ruralizing widow strikes Oak as a prudent detour on the way to his brilliant future.
Verity Channing was married to a renowned artist, and knows firsthand how spiteful London sophisticates can be. A quiet life in the country is fine with her–also lonely and rather dull–until Oak finds scandalous treasures lurking in her art collection. When somebody sets out to ruin Verity, Oak must choose between his cherished ambitions and the lady who fills his dreams.
Valerian Dorning is handsome, charming, and absolutely pockets to let. He’s hopelessly attracted to heiress Emily Pepper, but an honorable man must bring independent means to his marriage.
Emily has been chased by enough fortune hunters to know that the fellow who balks at taking advantage of her wealth is exactly the man she needs, but she’s hiding secrets that Valerian must never learn. He needs a fortune, she needs a miracle. How can true love prevail?
A difficult duke, a determined lady, and too many secrets.
Nathaniel Rothmere has bided for years in solitude at the Rothhaven ducal seat on the edge of the Yorkshire moors. He carefully cultivates a reputation for secrecy and ill-humor, such that most of his neighbors only catch a glimpse of him has he gallops his demon-black steed hellbent when darkness falls.
Lady Althea Wentworth has little patience for grumpy dukes (her brother is one), but she needs Nathaniel’s guidance as she seeks entree into Yorkshire society. Reclusive, difficult Rothmere has figured out the secret to commanding respect from one and all, while Althea has failed at that same quest during multiple London seasons. Nathaniel at first refuses to help Althea, but solitude on the moors has become a trial, and Althea commands Nathaniel’s respect, so what’s a lonely, brooding duke to do?
Wrexham, Duke of Elsmore, is awash in family obligations. With three sisters to escort about Town, a legion of cousins to look after, and aunties who insist he dance with every eligible young woman, he barely has time to manage his dukedom. When he finally carves out a moment to evaluate his family’s finances, he learns that he—and his sisters—are on the verge of a social catastrophe.
Eleanora Hatfield has an uncanny knack for numbers, but she knows from experience that dealing with the peerage can only lead to problems. Though she wants nothing to do with any titled gentleman, she reluctantly agrees to help when Rex seeks aid from her employer. What starts out as an unwanted assignment soon leads to forbidden kisses and impossible longings. But with scandal haunting Ellie’s past and looming in Rex’s future, how can true love lead to anything but heartbreak?
Hawthorne Dorning either finds a way to turn his family’s vast botanical resources into a successful commercial venture, or the estate the Dornings have called home for centuries could be broken up. He loves the land and he’s never shied away from hard work, but he knows nothing about creating perfumes or fragrances.
Margaret Summerfield has put aside her passion for scent-making to tend to the serious business of raising her little nieces. She’s no longer the girl who wandered the countryside by the hour, lost in the pleasures of nature, nor does she want to be. Hawthorne needs her help, but what does he have that could possibly tempt Margaret to entangle herself with his dreams?
