The Reluctant Ruse

Lady Arabella Elwood has perfected the art of refusal—seventeen proposals rejected across three Seasons. But no one knows the truth: every penny of her allowance supports the disgraced governess who raised her, and marriage would destroy the woman she loves most.

When her parents issue an ultimatum, Arabella devises a desperate scheme. She needs a temporary suitor—someone respectable enough to forestall disaster but unsuitable enough to eventually fail. Captain James Oakley, a wounded soldier with no fortune and obvious contempt for society, seems perfect.

James returned from the war convinced he had nothing left to offer anyone. The last thing he wants is to play pretend for a spoiled heiress. But beneath Arabella's polished facade, he discovers a woman of fierce loyalty and hidden depths—one whose secrets may be more dangerous than either of them realized.

As a ruthless enemy closes in, James must decide if he's willing to fight for a future he never dared imagine—and Arabella must trust someone with the truth for the first time in three years.