France, 1791
Marcus, Lord Rothbury, is on the run. Part of a foiled plot to help King Louis and Queen Marie Antoinette escape to Switzerland, he's searching for the jewels the rebels stole from the queen—jewels that, when sold in England, will buy the monarchs' freedom and restore the aristocratic order Marcus holds dear.
Pamphleteer James Lockhart publicly condemns the monarchy and has his own plans for the jewels—selling them to help the Parisian poor. But when the two are thrown together against a common adversary, Marcus finds himself increasingly attracted to the impetuous American.
As they hunt for the jewels, Marcus begins to suspect his companion isn't all he seems. Secretive and changeable, James could be playing a double game, and Marcus can't be sure who James is fighting against—the enemy, or the man who's fallen in love with him.
64,000 words