Olivia Banning arrives in London with her elderly aunt,
who's convinced the ghost of her old lover is beckoning her
from the grave. Unable to persuade her aunt otherwise,
Olivia decides to placate her with a promise to search for
him. Only her devotion to her aunt could cause Olivia to
leave behind the country life she loves and the company of
a certain young man. She enters society trying to shield
her aunt from the titters of ridicule that would occur if
their search became apparent. When her aunt feels her old
lover's presence at a ball, Olivia thwarts her search,
swearing she'll locate the ghost. As discreetly as
possible, Olivia wanders around until she's discovered in
the bedchamber.
Andrew Terwillger, the Earl of Dugdale, surprises a
beautiful woman he finds in his private rooms. Having
recently returned to London after rescuing his estate from
an embezzling manager, Andrew is ready to return to
gambling, drinking and womanizing. He's disheartened to
find his two best friends happily married and not wanting
to partake in his debauchery. Discovering an enchantress in
his rooms, Andrew believes his luck might be changing. As
he bestows a kiss upon the beauty, society matrons
interrupt them.
Trapped into marriage with a woman he feels duped him,
Andrew lashes out, but Olivia counters his actions with
retaliations of her own. As they struggle to find a
compromise, suspicious accidents happen to Andrew. When
they put aside their differences to uncover the mystery,
they discover their admiration for one another.
Ms. Grey skillfully mixes humor, mystery and romance in
this delightful battle of the sexes' tale. As in her
previous works, this author's deft touch with witty
dialogue and endearing characters gives her latest Regency
added sparkle.
A moment of temptation sends a notorious rogue and a
darling of the ton unwillingly to the altar. But
just as their marriage is becoming a true romance, a
mysterious presence raises mischief in their home.