EMMALINE KENNY is an heiress determined to make a difference in the lives of England’s older orphans.  Self-sufficient and on the shelf, she dedicates her time and wealth to establishing a home for her sister and elderly aunt, as well as a trade school of sorts for a few struggling youths. When Emmaline finds the perfect address for her residence and school in rural England, she purchases it and plans to move in as soon as possible. She only hopes the rude, if handsome, steward leaves with the rest of the household when they move.

HARRY MARCH is a grumpy young earl with more female relations to care for than he had anticipated. He is on the hunt for a proper governess for his young nieces, triplets who have scared off all of their nannies.  When an intelligent, no-nonsense woman appears, he cannot like her attitude—too uppity by half—but he certainly cannot let her get away, especially since he has decided not to sell his country home and uproot his own elderly aunt, nor does he want to move the girls to London until they are older. 

On the appointed date, Emmaline relocates her sister and aunt to Amblewilde only to find that the rude person she met on her first visit is actually the rude earl who owns the house, and he’s not moving. In fact, he thinks she has accepted a post to take charge of his nieces and is irritated to find she comes with furniture and relatives of her own.

With a surfeit of confusion and contradictory letters from their solicitors and agents, Harry and Emmaline are forced to temporarily meld their homes and families. Neither of them anticipated the slow melding of hearts . . .