Velvet hopes her impovished state, due to Cromwell's Roundhead reign, will sway the earl that she is no longer a suitable candidate for marriage. Soon she discovers that her betrothed is too stubborn to release her from their commitment. When he turns on the charm and then purchases a beautiful country estate because she liked it, Velvet finds that she is drawn to Greysteel in more ways than one.

Their relationship is cemented by an afternoon of passion and Velvet begins to think she's wrong about Greysteel-until she uncovers a hidden letter-a letter that condemns her lover as a spy. She runs away, but Greysteel is never far from her heart or mind.

When the time is right, the earl persuades her to marry him, but he despairs that he will never win the beautiful Velvet's trust. Only when both of their lives are in danger is the bond of trust forged and then strengthened.

As with any good romance, there has to be a trigger to catch a reader's interest. Ms. Henley knows how to release that trigger. Her choice of time period is a turbulent one. Her use of a childhood betrothal, although not new, becomes so with her characters. I have always enjoyed Ms. Henley's work; she is a lovely person as well as one of the most talented authors on the market. Well done, Ms. Virginia!