Duchess of Destiny — Merryn Allingham

Facing penury, Elinor Milford is urged by her dying mother to seek help from Amersham Hall. But the owner of this vast estate is a rich and powerful duke, far too young to have known her mother. Disguised as a dairymaid, Elinor sets out to unearth the secrets of her birth and discovers an extraordinary story.

Gabriel Claremont, Duke of Amersham, wants only to forget a painful past. He spends his life pursuing shallow pleasures in the company of dissipated men. Yet the new dairymaid, with her mousy clothes and modest demeanour, intrigues him. Despite his vow to live without love, he finds himself fighting a tangle of fierce emotions, unleashing a love affair that is tested to its limits.

How far must Elinor and Gabriel go to unravel the threads of their past â€" and discover their future?