Clever and determined, Lady Marian Lawrence arrived in London to snare a rich husband in hopes of saving her family from ruin--not an easy task given her biting wit and lack of beauty. Hiding her true self, she almost wins the hand of the wealthy, amiable Lord Darley--until Darley's best friend blocks their path to the altar. A man who has vowed never to marry, Reginald Montague is as determined to prevent a fortune hunter from snaring Darley as Marian is to have a wealthy husband. Far from rich but well aware of his aristocratic lineage, Montague is prepared to do anything to stop Marian, including seduce her. With dazzling skill and subtle stratagem, he sets out to change Marian's dislike for him into desire--as Marian struggles to keep the lie she's living from being revealed by a truly disastrous love… Prequel to THE MARQUESS, Regency Nobles series "e;A deliciously light-hearted traditional Regency."e; Mary Jo Putney, author of No Longer A Gentleman