Maintaining fears about themselves may force a hold on their true love.

Lord Jeremy Cunningham, future Duke of Pembrook, easily plays the role of rakehell of the ton. Behind the scenes, he is a deeply feeling man afraid to turn into his father. As a result of his father’s lifelong cruelty, he has hidden who he really is from everyone – including himself. 

Lady Ophelia Shaw speaks her mind with wit and confidence. She loves her family fiercely. Now that her older sister has married a Duke, she has been saddled with a considerable dowry. Regardless, she has no desire to marry a silly toff of the ton. Ophelia’s greatest fear is to depend on anyone and to lose the closeness she shares with her sisters. 

Jeremy and Ophelia fight incessantly with each other despite the obvious attraction developing between them. They form a bond over their belief in eradicating the slave trade from England, and something deeper begins to grow. 

Their pursuit of rooting out corruption will force them to hold onto their fears or finally declare the love that binds them.