Nicholas Winter, Marquess of Sinridge, might be considered the catch of the Season...if he had any intention of being caught. Accustomed to deference and respect, he finds himself oddly charmed by an impertinent housemaid he encounters while attending a ball. Captivated, he resolves to steal her away from her unkind employer. His rash decision mystifies even himself: he doesn't even know her name.

Ella has been a housemaid all her life, and is no stranger to the improper advances of noblemen, but the marquess defies all such expectations. And yet when circumstances compel her at last to accept his generous offer of employment, she is bewildered to discover that her new position isn't what she thought it would be.

She won't be his mistress, and he doesn't want her as a maid. Instead, Nick hires her on as his companion. As improper as it is, it's the only way to keep her close. But now that he has her, how far will he go to keep her?