Nicholas, heir to the Duke of Rutland, has been kidnapped. Imprisoned aboard a Portuguese slaver, Nicholas learns that his family members have been either captured or slain—but a mysterious woman allays his despair.Fellow prisoner Alexandra has overheard that his family is safe. But can he believe her? She claims to be a woman of status, but as she cannot prove her story, Nicholas assumes she is a thief. They are in the same predicament, however, and he and Alexandra form a friendship. When a hurricane destroys the ship and Alexandra rescues Nicholas from certain death, he must discover the truth about her. They wash up on a deserted island, where her survival skills come to the fore. As an aristocrat, Nicholas feels unequipped to handle the situation, but he watches Alexandra with growing admiration—and hears her account of how she, the daughter of a baron, came to be so resourceful. Nicholas yearns to leave the island and seek revenge...

When love seems impossible, the heart occupies itself however it can. For Rachel Thorne and Anthony Rutland, the thrill of scientific discovery is a suitable substitute. However, love is tenacious and cannot be suppressed for long.After surviving an attempted rape by a British soldier, Rachel, a self-taught inventor, leaves Colonial Boston for England at the suggestion of her sister-in-law, Abby. There she hopes to shake off the loathsome past and find a love-filled future.At Abby's ancestral home, Belvoir Castle, Rachel meets Abby's brother Anthony, the brilliant but troubled son of a duke. The two bond over their shared fascination with electricity, and sparks fly in more ways than one. However, a dispute with a family employee turns into a dangerous fiasco that threatens to end Anthony and Rachel's budding romance—and perhaps even their lives.The second book in the Duke of Rutland series, Light of My Heart is brimming with the same sensual charms and historical intrigue as...