Creighton Marshall is glad to be back in England after a long year of fighting the French. He plans to sell his captain's commission and resume his life as Viscount Ashcroft, but his commanding officer has one more task for him: play host to Count Dmitri Dmitrieff, the hero of several Russian campaigns, who has arrived London with Czar Alexander on a state visit. He agrees reluctantly, then wishes he said no when he discovers that the count is actually a woman. Natalya Dmitrieff truly is a war hero. She took her brother's place in the army and served without anyone guessing she was a woman. If Creighton reveals the truth, she will lose out on the prize she fought for: her family's lands. He agrees, even more reluctantly, to keep her secret. All should go well, except that Natalya is a beautiful woman who lingers in his mind too often. But if he convinces her that she wants to put aside her disguise, think of the fun they could have while she is in London. He needs only to find a way to persuade her that she wants to be loving in his arms rather than to fight by his side. It is the greatest challenge he has ever faced, but he is determined to be the victor.