Lucy Locket, the long lost granddaughter of a duchess, has never been a part of Society. One day, she was living a secluded life as the prisoner of a criminal, and the next day she was an heiress in a world she did not even remotely understand. She does not embody the typical qualities of a well-born lady...at all. She can't curtsy, she doesnβt hide her emotions, sheβs too clever by far. But in three months, she must marry a suitor with a royally-bestowed title, or she forfeits a fortuneβleaving her and the duchess in dire straits.
All Henry Beaumont wants is to prove himself to Society and step outside of his half-brotherβs shadow. So when the duchess asks him for a personal favor involving her newly found granddaughterβwith a hefty thank you reward at the endβhe leaps at the opportunity.
It seems as if Lucy is trading one prison for another. Henry has now become a permanent fixture as her charming yet iron-fisted taskmaster and tutor in the ways of High Society. Like oil and water, Lucy and Henry spar in an epic battle of willsβand even rapiers. But Lucyβs past and her surprising, undeniable feelings for Henry may doom their undertaking if he declares his love for her...because without a title, he can never be hers.