Julia was just too beautiful. More than once she had lost a position as governess for refusing the unwelcome advances of the men of the house. Now she was unemployed again, without friends and without hope.

How then could she refuse this opportunity? All she must do to earn her pay was pretend to be the fiancee of a young man whose real fiancee would never be acceptable to his uncle, the Earl of Combe.

In a month or so, the ailing Earl would succumb, leaving his fortune to the young man--and no harm would be done. At least, this was the plan ...