Sometimes the only way to outsmart a scandal is to find a crown big enough to silence it Muriel Beau, country baker turned heiress, can't stop instigating outrage. She discards two arranged engagements, then further antagonizes in Kent society by publicly proposing to a baron at a ball. His rejection leaves her with no choice but to flee to the city and to secure a coronet so splendid that her peers will forget her debacles. The glitter of the London courts convinces Muriel that it's possible to find the future she dreams of, until she finds herself entangled in yet another escapade—one that may cost her more than her crumbling reputation. After years of serving as a privateer under an assumed name, Captain Erik Draycott, heir to Draycott Castle and soon to assume his uncle's title of Earl, returns to his London home to find it in disrepair thanks to his longtime nemesis. A staunch bachelor intent on returning to his ship, the captain now finds himself in dire need of a wife. But while his pauper status causes the potential London brides to turn their noses up at him, the captain is shocked when his mentor encourages him to retire and take a wife. But while his alleged pauper status causes the potential London brides to turn their noses up at him, the ladies of Kent have no such qualms and are eager to fill his coffers with their fathers' wealth. When he encounters the unconventional Muriel Beau and she becomes embroiled in his risky undertaking, Erik is torn between staying put to protect this enchanting country lady and heeding the call of the high seas.