A Lyon in Waiting — Abigail Bridges

They are both hiding the darkest of secrets. But will saving one be the destruction of the other?

Mrs. Bessie Dove-Lyon, owner of the renowned Lyon's Den, knows how to match unmarriageable women with the perfect mate. But even she may not be able to help a woman too determined to walk her own path, failures and all.

After Lady Mary Caudale faced ruin and humiliation because of a mistake, she knew her chances of a debut season had vanished. Then her brother, the Duke of Kirkstone, and his new wife Beth came up with a daring plan to salvage Mary's future. But as the family returns to London, they discover that Mary's “secret” is not so secret, with the news working its way through the ton. So Mary and her brother turn to the owner of the Lyon's Den, Mrs. Bessie Dove-Lyon herself, to find Mary a husband before her reputation is destroyed beyond repair.

Enter Lord Thaddeus Ephraim Bolton, second son, Earl of Crookham, a man with an unfortunate gambling habit who owes Mrs. Dove-Lyon a great deal of money. But Thad, in the way of such gentlemen, has a number of dark secrets of his own. Secrets that will screech into the light if he agrees to the Lyon's demand that he marry this odd but lovely woman from the north.

But as Mary and Thad risk giving each other a chance, Thad realizes this secretive beauty may just be the very person he has been waiting a lifetime to find.