When She Was Wicked : Number 1 in series

SOME RULES SIMPLY BEG TO BE BROKENA dressmaker in London's busiest shop, Miss Anabelle Honeycote overhears the ton's steamiest secrets - and (occasionally) uses them to her advantage.

It isn't something she's proud of, but the reluctant blackmailer needs the money to care for her gravely ill mother.

To make up for her misdeeds, Anabelle keeps to a firm set of rules:Never request payment from someone who cannot afford it. Never reveal the secrets of a paying client. Never enter into any form of social interaction with a client. Her list keeps her (somewhat) honest - until she encounters Owen Sherbourne, the Duke of Huntford. Not only does Owen nip Anabelle's extortion plans in the bud, the devilishly handsome duke soon has the sexy seamstress dreaming of more than silk and satin.

With Owen, Anabelle enjoys pleasures she never imagined . . . until a scandal from the past resurfaces. Now her rules could mean his family's ruin. Owen's searing kisses carry the promise of passion, but how will he react when Anabelle's most devastating secret is finally revealed?