At the turn of a card, Serena Staverleys life changes forever.  Not only has her father gambled away their estate, house and all their possessions, he also put in the ill-fated bet with the sinister Lord Vulcan, her hand in marriage, along with her eighty thousand pounds inheritance.  Worse still, her father then dies in a dual, to which it seems he went willingly, even deliberately to his death. But why?

Forced to leave behind her beloved Stavelerly, with only her Nurse and dog as companions, Serena must travel to Vulcan’s majestic ancestral home, Mandrake.  But nothing is quite what it seems.  Faced with secrets, abduction, smugglers and even death, Serena discovers an unexpected ally.  Her heart tells her to hate him, but is it possible she’s falling for the very man who ruined her life? How Serena overcomes all adversity is told in this exciting, non-spicy suspense romance full of twists, drama, and hidden love!