James Redbourn, Viscount of Crofton, enjoys all the pleasures King Charles II's Restoration court affords him. His encounter with the enigmatic Chivalrous Highwayman in Epping Forest, sets the court aflame. Tales of the charming rogue treating his latest victim with his usual gentle hand has ladies' fans quivering with every whisper. While the Chivalrous Highwayman is a delicious fantasy, it is the intriguing Adam Dowson, the son of one of the greatest Cavalier generals, who is firing James's daytime desires. Their friendship might be growing stronger, but Adam seems to be one of the few men who is impervious to James's charms, no matter how hard James tries. When James's father become deathly ill, James races home. He is ill-prepared to become the 4th Earl of Crofton, and his father's vague but dire warnings on his deathbed only make matters worse. Now the earl, James must discover what is happening at Crofton Hall that had troubled his father so deeply. James turns to Adam for help. Despite Adam's own secrets, James trusts him. James hopes he's not making a mistake, risking his family estate, and his already bruised heart. Together, they need to work to clear out the rotten core at Crofton Hall, and along the way secure a happy future for them both.