The Duke Buys a Bride

Waking up in a dung-ridden stable after decimating the local taproom in a remote North Country village, all Marcus Weatherton, Duke of Autenberry, wants to do is leave town. Then he sees a young woman being auctioned off by her husband in front of a crude, rowdy crowd, and he does the only thing he can think of to save her—he buys her and finds himself with a wife. But Marcus doesn't want a wife (he doesn't believe the whole thing is legal, anyway), and capable, well-educated Alyse Bell has no interest in being a duchess. Instead, Marcus offers her the position of housekeeper (with a good wage!) at Kilmarkie House on the Black Isle off the Scottish coast, and she accepts, setting the stage for an adventurous journey north. Details on the English custom of wife selling and commentary on Scottish marriage law add fascinating historical appeal in this clever spin on a classic plot.