A lady en route to a winter house party Mature, sensible Honoria Fairfax has never forgotten the chance meeting she had with a mysterious stranger at a forbidden masquerade years ago. She might be a spinster firmly—and happily—on the shelf, but she cherishes the memory of their illicit embrace. After finding and escorting a lost child home, Honoria is thrilled and worried to find herself face to face with the man who lives in her wicked memories. A disgraced and cynical earl Feared and revered, Tormund Stone, the Earl of Rockford, finds himself appointed guardian to his late brother's daughter, just as he is ousted from the Home Office. When the girl arrives, she does so without governess and for all the skills he's attained in service to the Crown, 'taking care of children' was not among them. What's a career-minded man to do? A holiday romance to remember Never one to waste an asset, he convinces Honoria to take on the role of temporary governess. Tormund never forgot the woman he met in the shadows during a long ago assignment. His attraction to her burns just as bright, but even more surprising is the way Honoria's warm presence makes the three feel like a family. Can Honoria and Tormund each set aside their past and create a bright future? It's the holiday season, a time when anything can happen. And for Tormund and Honoria, it promises to be a time of hope...and new beginnings—together!