She noticed him in the darkness... And at that moment Talia Langley realized that the man in front of her was far from a saint. He might claim to be the humble, provincial cousin of the Duke of Hollindrake, but no man so attractive and eye-catching could be anything other than... well, he just had to be an unrepentant rake. His feline grace and power sent a shiver through Thalia's body as she thought of all the wicked, forbidden things this man could do... to her. In fact, Lord Larken is not a bumbling vicar at all, but a spy in the service of His Majesty, whose task is to find - and kill - a notorious pirate who has found himself free after a daring escape from prison. Loyal to the Crown, Larken is not going to let the annoying (and not entirely innocent) Miss from Mayfair ruin his ruthless plans. And yet he can't help but be tempted by this lady in a little black dress... a dress seductive enough to lead even Larken astray.