Book #1
Having been forced to help bring up her younger siblings, Miss Elenora Wetherby knows one thing: she does not want to get married and have children of her own. Her mama, though, has other ideas. She insists on presenting her oldest daughter in society to secure a rich husband who will support the nearly bankrupt estate and preserve her older brother's inheritance. However, Elenora is not like either her younger sisters or the other debutantes. In a time before autism was understood, she's very much "on the spectrum" and has no idea why she doesn't feel things the way others do. Jack Deveril, Viscount Broxbourne, is nearing his fortieth year, and has so far successfully evaded predatory mamas' attempts to ensnare him for one of their daughters. He lives a charmed life with a small but productive estate in Wiltshire, his latest mistress in a London town house, and a clique of likeminded friends. His life is perfect. But Jack has a secret. Living in his own house in London is the child of the actress he once loved, who was already married to a scoundrel who'd abandoned her. She died giving life to Jack's son, little Edward, and Jack has sworn to bring him up with every advantage his mother never had. When Jack and Elenora find themselves in a compromising position at a ball, their parents demand that he make an honest woman of her. Which neither of them want. But the mismatched lovers secretly agree to a sham engagement, planning to see out the season then quietly go their own ways-until Edward is kidnapped by his late mother's ne'er do well husband.
