Book excerpt: An independent East End girl... meets a determined West End boy ...and the chase begins. As a key member of the Network and modiste to the ladies of the ton, Emma Lennox favors freedom over marriage. But when her best friend asks that she attend the Hadfield ball, Emma finds herself thrown into the arms of a dance master who raises both her pulse and her temper. Respected barrister Christopher Neale needs to marry in order to claim his place as a Protector of the Royal Family (PORF). After two years of searching, an innocent encounter with a stranger on his brother's front steps ignites a yearning he cannot ignore. Ordered by the head PORF to teach Emma how to dance, Christopher finds himself in love with his reluctant and enigmatic student. Emma must ignore the whispers of her heart or risk what she holds most dear-control over her dress shop. Will Emma's resolve not to marry remain steadfast against Christopher's skill as a barrister and a lover?