Some say the aristocratic Balfour clan is cursed, a once-great family now in slow decline. Graceful Lily Balfour is her family's last hope, and she has come to London with one ambition - to marry a rich man. Her plans are placed in jeopardy, however, by the irresistible Major Derek Knight, a handsome, highborn soldier and adventurer newly returned from India. Hardened by battles on India's lawless frontiers, Derek is not just a fighter, but a notorious rake, infamous for his many dalliances. Though Derek finds no shortage of willing women in London, it is the untouchable, aloof Lily who haunts him. After one stolen moment, he hungers for more. But Derek has come to England on a vital mission, and when Lily is pledged to a wealthy man suspected of corruption, Derek must thwart the treachery that is in danger of ensnaring them both...