Angel is about to lose everything. Where will she go when the last penny is spent? And what about the household staff who are now dependent on her? They're her only family now. Perhaps she should be grateful her uncle has found a prospective husband for her in Shenandoah County, Virginia.But she isn't. If she accepts, she'll be the mistress of a big house with a huge staff and enormous responsibility. Can she do it? And if she refuses, what will become of her?Her fiery temper and independent spirit ensure she won't make a good wife; she's sure of it. Why then does Lord Wellington insist on pursuing her? But she soon finds he isn't the only one pursuing her; so is Charles Ashwirth. And his plans for her are indeed frightening.

Merrie adored Francis Adams when she was a child. But when she was thirteen, he scolded her and smacked her bottom for letting her puppy run out into the street and then running after it. She decided then that she never wanted to see him again. Ever. Now, six years later, coming home from school, she is shocked to find that he wishes to see her again, and even more shocked when he asks to marry her. But as drawn as she finds herself to him, she does not like feeling his chastening hand on her bottom. Francis, on the other hand, seems determined to use it; whenever and wherever he thinks she needs it. Merrie has been hoping for a marriage in which someone loves her desperately. She knows that she feels that way; but does Francis? The words 'I love you' seem as if they are destined never to reach her ears. Or are they? Publisher's Note: This is a historical romance containing sexually explicit scenes and spanking between adults.