Sebastian Cynster knows period is running away. If he doesn’t select a wife soon, his female relatives will fall into line to aid him. Yet the current debutantes usually do not appeal. Where can be he to get the right lady to become his marchioness? After that Drake Varisey, eldest kid of the Duke of Wolverstone, asks for Sebastian’s aid.

Having assumed his father’s mantle in protecting queen and country, Drake must go to Ireland in pursuit of an unhealthy plot. But he’s received an urgent missive from Lord Ennis, an about The Lady by His Aspect Irish peer-Ennis offers heard something Drake needs to know and insists Drake go to an upcoming house party at his Kent property therefore he can reveal his details face-to-face.

Sebastian has assisted Drake before and, way back when, had a liaison with Female Ennis. Drake insists Sebastian is merely the man to be his surrogate at the home party-the guests will imagine all manner of possibilities and become blind to Sebastian’s true purpose.

His first job is to inveigle Antonia Rawlings, a female he has known all her lifestyle, to include him as her escort to the house party. Although he’s noticed small of Antonia lately, Sebastian is assured of gaining her support.

Eldest daughter of the Earl of Chillingworth, Antonia has left behind the search for a spouse and plans to use the week of the home party to choose how to proceed with her life. As a result, on hearing Sebastian’s request and an explanation of what is situated behind it, she seizes on the call to action.

But while joining the house party proves easy, the gathering is thrown into chaos when Lord Ennis is murdered-just before he was to consult with Sebastian. Worse, Ennis’s last words, gasped to Sebastian, are “Gunpowder. Here.” Gunpowder? And here? Where?

With a killer continuing to stalk the halls, side by side, Sebastian and Antonia search for answers, and even while, the childhood connection which has always existed between them strengthens and blooms into something so much more.