Not even a year has passed since Lady Alison’s long lost sister was found. Now at a spinster’s age, she has no more excuses to avoid marriage. But, despite her parents’ efforts, her heart only yearns for the touch of one man: the manor’s sturdy stable hand.
A life of toil is all Luke Jones has ever known. Rescued along with his twin sister from the horrid streets of London, he owes his life to the Duke of Salsbury’s stable master. And even though he is always reminded of his place, he can’t help the scandalizing feelings he harbors for the Duke’s daughter. A new suitor that appears to steal Alison away pushes them to the edge, and Luke risks losing not only his home but also his life. When he decides to revisit the one place he swore never to return to, he stumbles upon a secret that should have been left buried. The roots of his family run deeper than he had first thought, and he suddenly finds himself implicated in a crime that shook London..