As a cursed duke collides with a determined lady, their dangerous game of trust and temptation will unravel secrets, ignite desires, and change their destinies forever.
Henry Lewis, the Duke of Carlisle, has a problem with cards. And dice. And the betting book at White's. Carlisle has never met a wager he won't take or a bet he won't make. Unfortunately, he was cursed by a witch at the age of thirteen, so his luck ends when he turns thirty. In a last attempt to win back his dwindling fortune, Henry wagers it all to the devious Marquess of Shrewsbury. Shrewsbury is his archenemy, a man who has been trying to ruin the Carlisle family for years. And when Carlisle puts the last card on the table, Shrewsbury has his revenge. Carlisle is left penniless and homeless. He retreats to his mother's home only to find the marquess has banished his daughter to live on the nearby estate?an estate her father won from Henry.
Lady Katherine Malfort has finally crossed a line. She was born with a birthmark on her face and kept hidden away by her family. But when she turns twenty-one, she's no longer content to hide in the shadows. She wants her freedom and to study painting in Paris, a demand which angers her father and results in her banishment to Carlisle Hall. Katie is used to being alone, but she finds some solace in the friendship of the Duchess of Carlisle. Until her son, the duke, arrives. Not only does Katie have no respect for a man who would disregard his mother and gamble away his family's home, she's angry at the way he's neglected the estate and the tenants. For Katie, Carlisle can't leave soon enough.
For his part, Carlisle wants to know why the marquess has a vendetta against him. He believes the answer is hidden in the library at Carlisle Hall and needs Katie to help him search it. She agrees, but only if he'll make amends for his neglect of his tenants. Searching the library and aiding the tenants put Henry in Katie's presence more than she'd like. She can't deny her attraction to the handsome duke, but she knows he will never see her as anything other than the marked daughter of his enemy. And even as their relationship grows, can she ever really trust a gambler? Henry sees Katie for the rare woman she is, but can he trust the daughter of his enemy?
