What is a maiden? A beautiful young virgin female. What maiden is unwanted? Mercy. Mercy is a young girl in victorian England living with her widowed father. As she turns of age, she must marry the Duke Of Edinbourgh and succeed in torturing him. Why? His father acussed Mercy's mother of being a witch. Mercy can not help but fall for the dark Duke's charm and grace but can't comprehend why he does not feel the same way. If he pushes her away, will she get her revenge? Or will she perish like her mother for being just like her mother...a witch?

Blake Carstairs isn't too thrilled to inherit the title of Duke of Devonshire from a distant uncle. Still, he returns to England from India to claim his title. However, a few months after he gets there, he receives a letter from his uncle's solicitors stating that he must marry in 30 days in order to keep the title. If not, it will be taken away from the family and Parliament may give it to whomever they please. Emma Sheridan, an heiress, is in dire need of money. Her family has just lost everything because of her father's gambling debts, and he will be sent to debtor's prison if the debts aren't paid off in the next 30 days. Her inheritance money would pay it off, but she cannot touch her inheritance until her 23rd birthday unless she marries before then.