Counting on Fate Shortly before his death, the Earl of Huntingdon altered his will—leaving the bulk of his fortune to his distant cousin, Marcus. Now the earl's daughter, Charis, is virtually penniless-and absolutely heartbroken. Her only hope is to find a wealthy husband—and fast... Accompanied by her mother and sister, Charis takes up residence in Marcus' lavish London estate. But she soon finds that most all of the city's bachelors are insipid, boorish—or both. In fact, the only man she finds at all intriguing is her handsome cousin himself! Determined to deny the passion that inflames her heart whenever thy touch, she asks Marcus to help her hunt for a husband. But there is a shortage of eligible men on the market—and soon Charis must match wits with a mean-spirited minx in a desperate fight for Marcus' heart...

A Chance Encounter One could blame it all on the rain...For when headstrong Lady Harriet enters the barn that fateful spring afternoon, she is after nothing more than a few moments of shelter from the coming shower. Once inside, however, she finds quite a bit more than she bargained for: a curiously carved wooden box, a cat nursing a litter of newborn kittens, and an odd, yet handsome, Lord Stanhope snooping about the place. What could an encounter such as this ever come to? Plenty, if that old wooden box contains the rare antique ivory dragon pin recently reported stolen from the estate of Baron Rothson—and even more if Lord Stanhope's brother has been accused of stealing it. Now, finding themselves together in a conundrum of sorts, the two must learn to become fast friends. And if they aren't too stubborn to realize it, they may also find themselves falling in love. A little rain never hurt anyone...