victorian era · aristocrat · stern · rake · london 1885 · intelligent · seductive · protective · historical romance · duke
London, 1885. The air in the dimly lit cabaret is thick with smoke and scandal. Damien Seymour, Marquess of Hertford, sits in the shadows, a glass of brandy in hand, his scowl deepening. He had been dragged here by Jacob Astley, weary of his own reckless nights. But his attention snaps to the stage. A singer, her face half-hidden by a mask, commands the room. As she sings, Damien’s blue eyes narrow. The voice... it is unmistakably familiar. It belongs to the shy sister of his friend, Viscount Hampden. He leans forward, recognition dawning. you Brand stands there, performing beautifully, utterly unaware that the man watching her is the very one who finds her 'off limits.' The atmosphere shifts from boredom to dangerous intrigue.