Lady Mariah Doncaster profited from her unusual upbringing of traipsing around the continent and meeting heads of state with her father, who was a diplomat to England. Now, ensconced in London for her Season, Mariah is impatient with the superficial conversation among her suitors. The balls and parties leave her bored and not one man sees beyond her father's wealth and influence. Until she meets a man on a darken balcony. He makes her laugh, but stays in the shadows and refuses to give his name. His only concession is that he will come in the dark of night to her bedroom for conversation. In the back of her mind, Mariah knows this is not a proper behavior, but the thrill of the unknown suitor tempts her beyond good sense.

Master spy Harry Sinclair maintains three identities and it's beginning to wear on him. His assignment is to watch and protect three peers of the realm in the perilous times during the divorce of Queen Caroline and King George IV. The fear of a popular uprising has the aristocrats on edge. Under this stress, Harry meets his fantasy woman, Mariah. A gulf separates them, but he does not have the fortitude to ignore her. He climbs into her bedroom in the moonlight and engages in a blend of fantasy and reality.

At first, it's a game as Mariah seeks his identity. Then reality hits and Mariah contemplates the unfairness of the situation. The one man who interests her is not acceptable. The time for hard choices arrives and it's not an easy one for either of them.

This impossible love story begins in the moonlight, where Mariah and Harry can talk of family, hopes and dreams. Ms. Linden adds to the riveting drama by giving it a twist with the backdrop of an assassination plot against the scandalous King George and the fear of revolution among the masses with Mariah and Harry in the middle.

Book Summary

Mystifying kisses . . .

It was a most coveted invitation—a glittering ball attended by all the important people of the ton. But Mariah, a ravishing beauty thought by all to be the catch of the season, never expected to find true love amid the shadows. The mysterious man she meets there ignites a passion within her she never thought possible. When he starts a clandestine midnight courtship in her bedroom, Mariah is scandalized—and enthralled.

From a man who knows just what he desires . . .

Harry Sinclair is a man of secrets who would do anything to protect those in his charge. But when he lays eyes on the stunning Mariah, duty and desire collide. Though every man in London lusts for her, he knows the fiery attraction between them is unparalleled. But in a world where trust can turn to treason and scandal can topple the throne, Harry and Mariah will fight a perilous fight for their precious love— and their lives.