Infamous courtesan Margot Fauchette adores her secret amor Gabrielle, heart and soul, but she prays none of her protectors discover her lady’s maid is also her true love. When a possible answer to their dilemma arrives, they face a far greater peril. In the absence of societal censure, will they find the courage to finally commit to the passion they’ve found in each other’s arms?

Lord Framlingwood’s fifth mistress, Margot Fauchette, has a secret. She and her lady’s maid, Gabrielle Tamaryn, have lived the good life for several years, moving amongst the wealthy, sensuous men and women of the ton, flitting from one benefactor to the next. Their light-hearted lifestyle crashes back to reality when Gabrielle’s dour brother, Captain Jameson Tamaryn, returns to London after a long voyage for the East India Company.

He’s incensed to find Gabrielle has disappeared from their family home in Surrey and that she’s apparently run off with her unconventional lover, Margot. He’s determined to end their “unnatural” alliance and see his sister safely married. In the absence of her compliance, he has no alternative but to hire a thief-taker to seize her and ensure she fulfills her responsibility. Otherwise, he’ll have her committed to an institution.