Enchantingly beautiful Catherine Renwick had good cause to despisedarkly handsome, insufferably arrogant James Pembroke, Earl ofAllandale. It was this deplorable man who on a night of wild debaucherycaused Catherine to be abducted and brought to him at a country inn. Itwas he who took her virtue by force, and left her threatened withdisgrace. True, he now was willing to make amends by giving her his namein marriage. And equally true, she had no choice but to accept. ButCatherine was sure that nothing in the world could erase her hatred forhim or her horror of his embrace. Marriage a la mode. By the standardsof aristocratic London, the marriage between the Earl of Allandale andCatherine Renwick seemed the most perfect of pairings. After all, bothof them each had the perfect partner. The Earl had ravishing, superblysensual Lady Caroline Amberly not only as his mistress, but she waspassionately in love with him. Catherine had her childhood sweetheart,Ian Maxwell, still totally enamored of her and willing to devote himselfto her happiness. What more could a married couple want? The answer cameas a shock -- not only to Regency gossips, but to a husband and a wifefighting against their own uninvited desires...