Cassandra Braxton's husband, Viscount Reddington, made her life hell. When he is murdered, she cannot mourn him, especially when he continues to plague her from beyond the grave. His will stipulates that she cannot claim her inheritance unless she has a child. The clause is a cruel joke. Reddington never consummated the marriage.Refusing to be defeated, Cassandra conspires to keep Reddington's death a secret. She goes to the home of Mark Foxwood, a handsome rake she's admired from afar, and makes an outrageous proposition.After being mocked by the woman he loved, Mark Foxwood retires to the country to spend the winter months alone. When Cassandra breezes into his study, he is aroused and provoked by her determination. As the two grow closer, Mark realizes Cassandra's open, honest passion may be the only thing that can save him from despair.