In 1817, widower Lord Dorian and his brother Lord Simon, a solider discuss a play staring the notoriously beautiful Cecilia St Lys. Simon despises her, while Dorian adored her. Their mother had invited the wealthy Sir Lucas Tinsley and his daughter Lucasta to the theater. After the show, Lord Dorian, their mother, & Lucasta go back stage to visit with Cecilia St Lys. Lord Simon stays behind to talk business with Sir Lucas.

The Royal Prince owes Sir Lucas money...he makes a deal with Lord Simon. If Lord Simon can retrieve a necklace he had given to Cecilia St Lys because she had failed to sleep with him, he would ignore the Prince's debt. After speaking with Cecilia, she confirms that she did receive the necklace and that she was planning to sell the necklace to raise money for the Foundlings Home.

Cecilia St Lys and Lord Simon have a past. Years earlier they were an item. Cecilia had left Lord Simon for the late Armand, because he had offered her marriage when Simon did not. But neither had really gotten over the other.

But Lord Dorian has his eyes set on Cecilia. But Cecilia can not be a mistress to the man she always thought of as a father figure. Lord Dorian was shocked to find out that Cecilia St Lys is the Sarah Hartley that he was told died while he was away. He even visited her grave. Instead, she was sent to Ireland at the age of 14 to wed a much older man. As Lord Dorian vows to protect her, he cuts off his mother and shocks his brother Lord Simon, who finds he is still and has always been in love with Cecilia.

Tamara Lejeune writes a great novel with a variety of characters and a twisting plot that will have the reader drawn into the book and not able to put it down.