United by tragedy, torn apart by scandal! Frederica Stanford has loved Hawthorne Stiles for as long as she can remember. But a merchant’s daughter can never hope to secure the notice of an earl’s son. She doesn’t know that Hawthorne, a man with a passion for justice, has always been captivated by the spirited young woman who grew up near his father’s estate. Plagued by guilt over his part in a childhood prank which left her traumatized, Hawthorne vows to protect Frederica from rakes and libertines during her first London Season. When Frederica unearths a dark secret about her lineage, it sets in motion a chain of events which leads to tragedy. Hawthorne, now a renowned magistrate, comes to her aid and they surrender to their shared passion. But when Hawthorne’s career, and life, are threatened, Frederica is faced with a choice. She must make the ultimate sacrifice to save the man she loves, knowing that in doing so, she risks losing his love forever.