Demanding a kiss from a masked highwayman was not something that modest bookworm Hannah Clayton would have normally done. But the summer of 1813 would prove to be far from normal.

Once Hannah felt her gown grow wet with her own blood, a kiss suddenly seemed a very important thing to insist upon. The masked man had turned on his rogue partner in an attempt to free her. She'd felt grateful for that, even if she thought his efforts were in vain. More than anything though, she did not want to die without having been kissed. What would have been the point of all those hours pouring over romance novels if that ended up being the case?

However, when she somehow survived the robbery-turned-kidnapping, she had been left with more pressing concerns. Her reputation had been ruined through no fault of her own. Her body bore angry scars from the incident, and her mind was tormented from the trauma of the event.

In her turmoil, the Clayton family receives an unexpected visitor. Mr William Bellinghan is the local magistrate investigating the case. But his involvement in their nightmarish carriage ride leaves Hannah with many questions. Why would such a rich and influential man be so personally interested in her plight? And why did his hazel eyes remind Miss Clayton so much of her highwayman?