Men wanted one thing—and noblewomen had no choice Certainly her forced betrothal did nothing to convince Lady Alyce Sherborne otherwise. Would that she could choose how to live her life—and with whom! But given that freedom, would she turn down the subtly seductive Sir Thomas? The man who'd secured a king's ransom—and taken her heart in the bargain? Women, he was learning, were dangerous—and of that lesson, there could be no better teacher than the deceptively sweet, distractingly beautiful Lady Alyce. Truly she was a maid who bore watching—and Thomas Brand was only too happy to keep his eyes ever upon her!