Alec Black, the Earl of Stryden, sees the inevitable and does his damnedest to ignore it. When another crop infestation at the family’s estate in Bedford collides with a promotion from the War Office, Alec is torn between his duty to his heritage and his duty to the crown. Matters become more complicated when his nephew, Samuel, demands of him a seemingly outrageous and impossible favor that relies on Alec’s seat in the House of Lords. But when a common footpad threatens his wife, Sarah, Alec must face what it really means to one day be a duke.