Silk and Steel » (First Edition)

Award-winning, bestselling author Kit Martin currently resides in Missoula, Montana, and loves history, travel and snow skiing. Over six million of her books are in print and she is published in a dozen foreign countries. You can visit Kat at her website: www.katbooks.com

She could take his name,

Lady Kathryn Grayson is a gently bred noblewoman with a privileged future ahead of her..until her greedy uncle decides to steal her fortune by committing her to an insane asylum. Her only escape is to stow away in the carriage of Lucien Montaine, Marquess of Litchfield, who hears her story with disbelief and suspicion. Yet Kathryn's instincts tell her Lord Litchfield is a man of honor-and her only salvation. Desperate to save herself, she attempts to seduce him and forces him into marriage.

But she couldn't take his heart.

The moment Lucien encounters the ragged, hungry waif with the dignity of a queen, he fights against wanting her. Though captivated by her intellect, strong will, and beauty, he will never love the woman who has deceived him.

Or so he thought...

Though their battle of wills grows stronger every day, desire threatens to overpower his fury. Can this maddening woman who is now his bride melt his heart of steel? Or will her silken touch only strengthen his vow never to fall prey to the dangers of love?

Publishers Weekly

An 18th-century hero, Lucien Raphael Montaine, fifth Marquess of Litchfield, wants to marry an affable woman to have his children, grace his table and not challenge him in any way. Lucien wants to create a life different from his parents': his mother, a spirited woman, ran off with another man, and his father died by his own hand. Fate enters Lucian's life in the form of Kathryn Grayson, a lively, intelligent runaway from a madhouse where her uncle committed her so he could spend her considerable fortune. Kathryn has a passion for medicine--an unorthodox pastime for a Georgian lady--and likes nothing better than analyzing cadavers and mixing potions. Stubborn Lucien can't fight his attraction to Kathryn, and despite his reservations, he agrees to marry her to thwart her uncle. Gradually, Lucien softens and accepts her vocation, and she learns to understand his needs. Unfortunately, Martin's (Dangerous Passions) story line suffers from lightly sketched period atmosphere and heavy sentimentalism. (Jan.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.