The Duke and Duchess of Bowles expect nothing short of perfection from their daughter. Lady Arabella has spent her whole life striving for their approval, but always seems to fall short. When they announce she is to marry her brother’s best friend, though, it’s the final straw.
Henry Finch, the Marquess of Haskett, has made peace with the fact he will never find love and is determined to enjoy his bachelor lifestyle. So, when it is announced that he will marry Lady Arabella, they decide they will enter a fake courtship, and at the same time lead separate lives. An elaborate ruse begins, with both Arabella and Henry trying to find a way out of their parent’s arrangement. So, why does his heart ping with jealousy when he sees her dancing with other gentlemen? And moreover, why do the dangers they face start to seem less like accidents, and more like an orchestrated attempt for sabotage?