"To satisfy his debt to the man who saved his life-at the cost of his own-Captain Charles Wyvern agrees to accompany the man's grieving fiancâee and mother to a cottage by the seaside. Along the way, he learns that his uncle has passed away, and that he is now the new Earl of Rothwell. When he and the ladies arrive at his new manor house in Devon, they discover a gaggle of girls, wards of the former earl, and an estate in need of a leader. Out of his depth with the girls, and wishing to provide for Lady Sophia Haverly and fulfill his obligation to her fiancâe, Charles proposes a marriage of convenience. Sophie has the care of her betrothed's mother, an elderly woman who is losing her grip on reality. When they arrive at Rothwell, Sophie falls in love with the girls, seeing a chance to help the captain, as well as divert her attention from her grief. She agrees to marry the captain in name only and take care of his property and his wards when he returns to the sea. But when the captain is arrested for smuggling, she realizes how much he's come to mean to her, and how she's going to have to fight, not only for his freedom but also for his love"--