Charlotte Lowelace, hija menor de Lord y Lady Beaufort. Es casi la personificación de lo que una joven inglesa debe ser, desde su cándida apariencia hasta sus delicados modales, con un pequeño detalle en su actitud no siempre dócil y complaciente. El único problema radica en que ninguno de los pretendientes logra complacerla, y ya a sus veinte años cumplidos y con la temporada bastante avanzada sus padres comienzan a buscar la opción más provechosa para un matrimonio por conveniencia. Dominik Cavinish, Marques de Granby, todo un perfecto caballero inglés, siempre pendiente de las necesidades de su familia, gallardo y de modales exquisitos la mezcla perfecta para un espléndido futuro duque. El único problema radica en que su padre no aprueba a la mujer de dudosa reputación del que se dice enamorado, por lo que amenaza con ceder sus derechos a su hermano menor ya casado y con un hijo, situación que lo obliga a aceptar el matrimonio que su padre le imponga.

Sophia has sacrificed everything for her younger sister, Lucy. She has removed them from the only home they ever knew, taken on the care of Lucy's illegitimate son, George, and even assumed the role of a widow and mother in order to erase all hint of scandal from the boy's birth. But rumor continues to follow them like the darkest of clouds, and Sophia must adapt to her new existence as a false widow with no prospects beyond the doors of her small cottage. Lord Haughton - "Finn" to those close to him - will stop at nothing to prevent the slightest whiff of disgrace from tainting his family's name. When he learns of his younger brother's latest indiscretion-one that leaves a bastard child in his wake-Haughton rushes across the country to offer the boy's mother a comfortable living in exchange for her silence about the child's true parentage. But he arrives only to have his generous offer thrown back in his face by Sophia Brixton, a sharp-tongued and sharper-witted woman who proceeds to toss him out of her house. But just because he is banished from her home does not mean he is so easily banished from her life.