Book excerpt: Widowed Lady Charlotte Hobart and her two youngdaughters have lived comfortably under her father-in-law's roof, but everything changes on his death. The new Lord Hobart fills Easterley Manor withhis disreputable friends and treats Charlotte withcontempt. With no money, and nowhere to go, she feelssuddenly bereft—and not a little frightened. Viscount Stacey Darton wants to protect Charlotte,and to do that he has to pretend to be as bad as the restof the unwelcome houseguests. It's obvious to Staceythat this tall, elegant lady is no light-skirt but a truegentlewoman. She is also proud, so whatever he doesto help her must be done in secret.