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Georgianne Whitley's beloved father and brothers died in the war against Napoleon Bonaparte. While she is grieving for them, she must deal with her unpredictable mother's sorrow, and her younger sisters' situation caused by it.

Georgianne's problems increase when the arrogant, wealthy but elderly Earl of Pennington, proposes marriage to her for the sole purpose of being provided with an heir. At first she is tempted by his proposal, but something is not quite right about him. She rejects him not suspecting it will lead to unwelcome repercussions.

Once, Georgianne had wanted to marry an army officer. Now, she decides never to marry 'a military man' for fear he will be killed on the battlefield. However, Georgianne still dreams of a happy marriage before unexpected violence forces her to relinquish the chance to participate in a London Season sponsored by her aunt.

Shocked and in pain, Georgianne goes to the inn where her cousin Sarah's step-brother, Major Tarrant, is staying, while waiting for the blacksmith to return to the village and shoe his horse. Recently, she has been reacquainted with Tarrant--whom she knew when in the nursery--at the vicarage where Sarah lives with her husband Reverend Stanton.

The war in the Iberian Peninsula is nearly at an end so, after his older brother's death, Tarrant, who was wounded, returned to England where his father asked him to marry and produce an heir.

To please his father, Tarrant agreed to marry, but due to a personal tragedy he has decided never to father a child.

When Georgianne, arrives at the inn, quixotic Tarrant sympathises with her unhappy situation. Moreover, he is shocked by the unforgivable, brutal treatment she has suffered.

Full of admiration for her beauty and courage Tarrant decides to help Georgianne.

Reviews:

J. Pittam "Maythorn" (Hertfordshire, England

I was looking forward to another novel from Rosemary Morris and this one I couldn't put down. The author seems to have found her voice in this story which is set just after the Napoleonic Campaign. ...

This novel does not flinch from the realities of Regency times but in spite of that has a light and amusing style, with some parts that are near hilarious. Rosemary paints the more repulsive characters particularly well and is great at describing food and clothing. Her heroine is truly a character, a young woman with both passion and compassion. As for the hero, lovely- I wouldn't send him back to the war in a hurry.

Bookwormvlm "V. L. (Lynne) Murray" (Surrey, BC)

This book was my first exposure to the Regency period in print and so I was really captivated by the wonderful descriptions of the clothes and the amazing details of language and behaviour. Georgianne Whitley, the main character, is only 18 years old but already she is exhibiting a strength of character and behaviour of a mature adult. She must fight to survive and watch over her younger sisters and widowed mother. Ms. Morris can really create nasty villains who come to life before your eyes. And Major Tarrant, of course, will rival any romantic hero of our time. The twists and turns of the plot, the misunderstandings and the simmering emotions lurking just beneath the surface of the two main characters, keep you reading to the end and never wanting it to finish. I understand there will be more in this series. I can't wait I give it five stars all the way. Super book, well-crafted, wonderful descriptions, very intricate plot and amazingly accurate language of the time. I can't recommend this book enough. You'll love it