Can the Ladies' Wagering Whist Society help a scholarly young lady take a dandy seriously?
Lady Helena Grant is about to become homeless. The moment her father dies—which will be within the month according to the doctor—her home will go to his heir, the Baron Hazelton. He has refused her plea to allow her to stay in the house. Now the only hope this bookish wallflower has is to apply to his son, the handsome Mr. Teviot, and pray that he has some sway over his father.
This would be Pine Teviot's second Christmas away from his family. His father has forbidden him entrance to the family home unless he comes with a fiancée or wife on his arm. But Pine believes in love and hasn't found it yet. When the lovely Lady Helena comes to him with her problem, he sees in her the perfect revenge—his father hates intelligent women. They hope that a fake engagement will both allow Pine to see his family over the holidays and get Helena a home. When his father objects to their marriage, she will agree not to marry Pine in exchange for the right to stay in her home.
What they don't count on is the spark of attraction between them. It will take the delicate hand of the Ladies' Wagering Whist Society to gently encourage those flames to grow.