The Earl of Downe, an infamous rake, has come home, and Letty Hornsby and her "hellhound" Gus are on the hunt for a man. She's been in love with Richard since childhood, since she was eleven and knocked him into a river. Now that his friends have convinced him to rusticate and recuperate from overindulgence (women, alcohol and gambling), Letty is taking advantage of opportunity and spinning her own plan to save Richard from himself...by marrying him. Richard expects his life to be restful once he's home, but after a chance encounter with the meddlesome Letty and her hellhound, the Earl discovers there is no rest for the wicked. Not as long as the unexpected beautiful, fully grown and insufferable Letitia Olive Hornsby has anything to say about it. Soon He finds himself captive aboard a smugglers' ship with an adoring woman, who is a charming, walking catastrophe. Never missing a beat, she gets them into one hilarious predicament after another. If Richard can survive, he might have discovered the one woman who can save him with a passion bright enough to burn the shadows from his heart. Jill Barnett has concocted another charming tale filled with witty dialog, plenty of humor and a sprinkling of magic