It was a marriage neither of them wanted.

She was orphaned, bewildered, and newly arrived from America to claim her rightful place in English society.

He was a black bear of a man - in temperament as well as size. Sought after by every matchmaking mama in London, he terrified the debutantes with his brusque manners and barely concealed sexuality.

But in Victoria he had met his match. Young, bereaved, and at first frightened, she quickly measured up to Jason. If not in size, then most certainly in spirit. A war of passion, wit, temper and manners was declared - a battle of a marriage that both were determined to win.