Lucinda Palgrave, the Countess of Denbigh, is trapped in a horrible marriage to a man who considers her a fat, clumsy cow. Since she has been unable to provide him with an heir, she has accepted the fact that Denbigh only wants her for her money, but his latest request for her to "entertain" one of his wealthy friends at a country gathering has pushed her to the breaking point. She makes her escape before dawn, fleeing London with her meager personal funds so that she can create a new life where no one knows her, a goal that is made easier when she becomes the unexpected guardian of a little orphan girl, providing her with a disguise as a widow with a child. Hugo, Captain Lord Wanstead, has just returned to his family estate after a battle injury left him with a wounded leg and a need for an extended recovery. Hugo is nursing emotional wounds as well -- the woman he met and married while on the continent died in childbirth, cursing his name, the same fate his mother suffered when his father decided he needed a "back up" heir in case Hugo was killed in battle. But upon his return, Hugo discovers that the family estate is not how he remembered it. His recently deceased father has left a mountain of debt from his gambling, and now Hugo must figure out how to clean up the mess. Worst of all, at a time when he wishes to hide away from the world and be left alone, Hugo learns that his steward has rented out the small cottage in the woods of the estate to a widow and her young daughter, and Hugo can't afford to turn her out because he needs her rent money. Lucinda doesn't know what to make of the taciturn Lord Wanstead at first, especially because his gruff manner reminds her of her husband, Denbigh. But when Hugo is forced as ask for her help in sorting out the household accounts, a talent Lucinda learned from her father before her marriage, she soon discovers that Hugo is more like a wounded bear than a tyrant, a bear who desperately needs someone to stand up to his bluster and open his heart to love. But can she allow herself to fall for him, knowing that even if she manages to elude Denbigh and lead a new life, she will never be free to create a future with Hugo? I thoroughly enjoyed THE LADY FLEES HER LORD. The dedication alone is worth the price of the book, but the characters will win your heart as well. Lucinda is wonderful, an unconventional heroine who has been beaten down by her monster of a husband, but whose inner strength helps her to find courage, leading her to new friends who love her just as she is. Hugo is a wounded hero, at turns charming and morose, but the pain he has endured is understandable, and his actions are driven by a concern for others, especially the curvaceous woman he grows to love. The story is filled with vivid descriptions that draw you in, and the secondary characters are delightful, adding warmth and heart, and quite a few chuckles. We should all be so lucky to be surrounded by such loving, non- judgmental souls. This book is a real treat!