Eleanor Claridge had it all. A family that loved her, a secret romance with a handsome soldier, and a beautiful home in the seaside town of Brighton. Although her father did not approve of her suitor, she found no fault in him. With respect to her father's wishes, she paused to examine his character. 

But it was too late. 

Abducted and taken to Scotland under the ruse of a happy elopement, Eleanor was forced to marry the wicked man she had once loved. 

And now she has a chance to escape. 

Widowed and alone, she flees on the first coach back to Brighton with her young son, vowing never to marry or trust another man again. But when her reputation and the safety of her child are questioned, she has no choice but to enter into a marriage of convenience with Mr. Henry Beaumont, whose kindness and inviting blue eyes leave her questioning if love is such a dreadful notion after all.