The quest to break a mummy’s curse turns dangerous when a peer ends up dead. Miles Lawrence Hawkins, fifth Earl of Archewyne, is alone and the last of his line, save for a young daughter, and he’s made peace with that…Yet unexpectedly finding an attractive female thief in his library gives him doubts. Drawn into the lady’s insane plot to retrieve various stolen mummies from around London—including the British Museum—he accompanies her merely to see what will happen next. Being captivated by her quest and intrigued by her talent for skirting the law is a much needed distraction from the stress of his own life’s misfortunes. Lady Emmaline Darling, skilled thief and only child to the Earl of St. Ives, is under a mummy’s curse. Believing herself damned due to her father’s penchant for removing antiquities from Egypt, she’s vowed to return a pair of mummies to their eternal resting place in order to save his life and her own. Being caught by Miles wasn’t in her plan, and neither was falling for his charm, but she’ll do anything to see he’s free of the curse as well, for their histories are too intricately connected for his ills to just be bad luck. When a peer with ties to them both ends up dead and Emmaline’s jewelry is found at the scene, Miles is honor bound to offer for her and lend her his protection. Despite her refusal, desire pulls at them and scandal surrounds them, and when Miles is summoned to once more embark upon a secret mission for the Crown, he must shed everything that will become a liability, but keeping Emmaline out of trouble—and out of his mind—is easier said than done. Trigger Warning: Some of the content found in this book may be triggering and/or sensitive. Sexual violence, sexual assault and attempted rape/abuse are some of the topics mentioned within the pages and might illicit a strong or potentially harmful emotional response.

When duty and honor call, the heart must decide if love is stronger. Three months have passed since Lady Emmaline Darling left her lover and fellow adventurer, Miles. Not certain she’s in love with him, they’re bonded in a miraculous way—she’s enceinte. Yet, despite his promises to write and make plans, there’s been nothing but silence. When she discovers he’s lied and has been out of pocket on a secret mission for the Crown, she’s convinced she can go it alone despite the scandal—and he can’t be trusted enough to know her secret hope. Watching Emmaline slip from his life with his daughter broke his heart, but as fifth Earl of Archewyne, Miles Lawrence Hawkins’ responsibility to England called louder than his heartstrings, as does the lingering hope to bring Lord Leventhorpe’s killer to light. While chasing a faction of Bonaparte sympathizers intent on starting war anew using an obscure relic of great power, his fate crosses Emmaline’s—and she’s as volatile as the earthquake that puts them both in peril. They strike a tentative peace, for the opportunity to adventure—and to survive—together is stronger than their hurt feelings. Mutual need collides in the course of duty, but before the state of their hearts can be realized, fate, with danger as a companion, intervenes. With betrayal, insidious peril and a killer lurking, finding their happy ending will be a harrowing prospect indeed, but adventure—and love—doesn’t come without risk.