Duty Before Desire

Book excerpt: Consummate rake Lord Sheridan Zouche is no stranger to scandal. But when his family banishes him as a bad influence until he vows to marry, he inexplicably chooses the one woman he cannot seduce: an Englishwoman born and raised in India, who has been sent home against her will to find a husband. Arcadia Parks wants nothing more than to return to the peaceful hills of Hyderabad, far from the contrivances and strange moral strictures of the ton. But her aunt is insisting she wed, so she can't turn down Sheri's unexpected proposal of convenience. They'll marry for one year--and consummate the union just once to make it official--after which time he'll help her return to India. Alas, the best-laid plans sometimes go awry. Will Sheridan be able to give up the woman staking claim on his heart? And will Arcadia see through to the sensitive heart lurking beneath his glib facade? Fans of Judith Ivory and Cecilia Grant won't want to miss this highly anticipated story! Sensuality Level: Sensual