This was a lovely historical romance. Lady Jessica Stanton needs a husband fast. She will turn 25 in just a few days and will be inheriting a vast fortune from her father. Her evil stepbrother Colin is determined to commit her to an asylum so that all the lovely money will be his. Simon Westland, Earl of Northcote, needs money fast to save his family estates from being repossessed. His profligate father and the woman he married, who just happens to have been Simon's fiance, have spent all the money and left a mountain of debt. Then, as Simon was leaving to join the army in India, his father was found dead and Simon was rumored to have murdered him.Simon doesn't trust women and is certainly not eager to marry for money. He can't believe that Jessica's proposition isn't a put up job engineered by his best friend to give him the money he needs. Once he is convinced that Jessica is not lying and, when he finds out who the evil stepbrother is, he agrees to the marriage in order to get revenge.Jessica has the strong husband she needs but he doesn't care for her. At first, it is just a business deal for him. But it doesn't take long for Jessica's innocence and courage battling her handicap - deafness - wins his admiration. But the couple has a number of obstacles to overcome including Simon's former fiance who wants him back and the dastardly Colin who wants him dead and her confined to an asylum.The story was filled with wonderful characters and a very nice romance. I thought it was entertaining and it was a quick read that kept me up past my bedtime as I read on to see if right and love would triumph.
