Emma is running from a tyrannous uncle bent on killing her young brother, to gain his fortune. John, the Earl of Compton, is looking for something to change his unfulfilling life in the House of Lords. When they meet on a dark street, nothing can change their fate.
John is so instantly smitten and socially inept, he proposes in less than twenty-four hours. Emma's plight to save her brother has her shaken to the core and she agrees to the hasty Christmas wedding.
John's fierce defense of Emma and her brother demonstrates the match might be more than just a convenient arrangement. They may live to enjoy a life together—if only they can thwart her uncle's devious assault.