The Gamester — Ann Hulme

“A rogue, a gamester, a cad and a rake!” This is how Briony Malleby views Sir Nicholas Darrell.

Battling to keep house for her father, a dissolute, persistent and unlucky gambler, she is horrified to learn that he owes no less than 12,000 pounds to the undeniably attractive Sir Nicholas, who is pressing for immediate payment.

How can Briony possibly take his advice to attract a husband, forced as she is to wear her cousin's hideous hand-me-down clothes? And how can she ever trust Sir Nicholas, when it seems that he really is the rake she has always thought him -- and worse?