Charles, Lord Hartley, is at his wits' end. He has spent a fortune on his cousin John, and still the embittered man demands more money. What Charles needs is an heiress. Unbeknownst to him, the woman to whom he finds himself attracted, Cliona, is herself an heiress who has recently moved into the neighborhood. When he finds out, he feels there is no way he can approach her with honor.

But Cliona, a spirited girl, has her own ideas. Charles is the man she wants, and when John appears again, determined to court her for her money, she puts an audacious plan into practice. To win the man she loves she first has to win an extraordinary game of cards, using skills that no lady should have.

If you like Downton Abbey,this romantic tale of triumphing over villainy is sure to charm you.