London, 1816. Clara Whitcombe built her printing shop with ink-stained hands and refuses to be ruled by anyone. When a forged notice bearing her mark sends hungry villagers to a locked granary, her livelihood—and her name—are threatened.

Nathaniel Ashcombe, Duke of Halewick, arrives demanding answers. Instead, he finds a woman who will accept neither his accusations nor his protection without conditions. Forced into a reluctant alliance, Clara and Nathaniel uncover stolen type, diverted grain, and a betrayal reaching into the duke’s own household.

But desire is easier than trust, and Nathaniel’s instinct to command may cost him the only woman who insists on meeting him as an equal.

To expose the truth, they must risk their reputations, their futures—and their hearts.

A standalone Regency historical romance featuring antagonists-to-lovers, a reluctant alliance, and a duke who falls for a fiercely independent commoner.