Left orphaned and destitute, Miss Sophie Langford had no choice but to throw herself on the mercy of her mother's family, namely the Duke of Belfont. But instead of the elderly gentleman she had envisaged, she was confronted by the fifth duke, James, a most eligible bachelor.

The presence of Sophie's widowed sister enabled James to take Sophie into his household, although he little guessed what he had let himself in for. Sophie was quite unlike any other lady of his acquaintance—she certainly had no hesitation about speaking her mind! So why did he find her so damnably attractive?