It must have been a goddess. That he was sure of. In the middle of those dark ashes, a body was laid down, wrapped in a cape that must have been green before but which was now covered in brown because of the ashes. Her face was strikingly pale, of a rare whiteness, but it was also dirtied by the ashes, hiding her cheeks and forehead. But despite those ashes and these dark smudges, one thing was absolutely certain: she was divine. She had a beautiful face with a straight, small nose, lips that were plump even if they were dry and a bit blue from the cold. Her eyes were closed, but her lashes seemed to be long and thick, resting on her cheeks like she was sleeping peacefuly. But all of those traits were not what attracted the Jarl. What did was the streak of hair that rested on her forehead, which had leaked from her hood. Its color was so unique and uncommon for a girl from this country that Tharn remained fixated on it. It was impossible to decide if this girl was a red-head or a blond. It seemed like the gods had not been able to chose in-between those two hair colors and had to give her the tone in between those two: gold. What a waste for such a heavenly creature to be dead, Tharn thought. Well, was he sure she was dead? After kneeling down, he bent over her, placing his fingers on her throat to check if her heart was still beating and placing his cheek in front of her mouth to see if he could feel a breath against his skin. As faint as it was, a light breeze touched him and a slow beat came under his fingers. She was barely alive, but she still was. A sigh of relief escaped him without him controlling it. He had no idea why he was so glad she was alive, but he was sure of one thing : she was coming back with him, and she would be his.

As Lord Adam Beresford left Ashwood, Hertfordshire for the training and education of a gentleman, he promised to return and marry his childhood best friend, and the only girl he could see himself marrying, Grace Denham. Neither of them foresaw that it would be twelve years until they would meet again. A lot has changed in that time, and their lives are vastly different. Adam became a gentleman, and everything that the heir to a Dukedom ought to be. Grace remained in Ashwood and became a housemaid to support her family. But as their lives intertwine once more, their childhood promise bubbles to the surface, throwing their lives, the lives of their families, and the village of Ashwood into chaos.

[1885; England] Lecia Harper can hardly accept her fate: marriage. When her father seemingly pawns her off to a Duke, horror and abandonment are only half of what she feels. She had been able to dismiss nearly every suitor before, but now she's bound to one man for ever. Freedom was all she wanted, but what happens when she begins to realize that that is exactly what she got?