The declaration: "You don't have a choice. You will
return with me to England."
The deed: In the dark of night, British spy Christian
Seaton, Duke of Sutherland, abducts Lisette Duprée and flees French mercenaries
in a race against time. Christian must protect her at all costs -- Lisette is
the answer to everything in the Dangerous Dukes' work for the crown.
The difficulty: Innocent Lisette is an enticing
temptation who's increasingly hard to resist!
Terrific conclusion to the series (most of which I read
years ago but still remember fondly). Christian, a British spy with a French
background, is in Paris investigating the sister of a known French spy. While
watching the woman, a Paris tavernkeeper, Christian is distracted by one of the
serving girls. His attraction to Lisette is immediate and intense. When he
learns of Lisette's connection to Helene, he wants to learn more. Lisette
notices the handsome nobleman and is equally drawn to him. She is wary of his
interest in her but can't resist his request to meet with him.
Lisette tries to warn Christian that Helene has ill
intentions toward him, but he blows off her warning. When Lisette witnesses an
attack on him, she rushes to the rescue and, in a slightly hair-raising scene,
gets Christian back to his home and tends his wound. I loved watching the petite
Frenchwoman boss the hardened spy around. The novelty so flummoxes Christian
that he finds himself giving in to her demands. Knowing both are now in danger,
Christian insists, forcibly, that she accompany him back to London.
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between
Lisette and Christian. Lisette is fiery, independent, intelligent, and more
than a little stubborn. She and Christian butt heads often throughout the book.
She doesn't take well to being told what to do and lets him know it. Christian knows
he needs to take Lisette to England to be questioned, but he's convinced she is
innocent of any wrongdoing. He is determined to protect her, not just from any
French that pursue them but also from those in his government who might mean
her harm.
The sparks of attraction between Christian and Lisette
continue to grow. Christian unexpectedly finds himself thinking about marriage,
while Lisette knows there's no chance for a duke and the daughter of a French
tavernkeeper. When trouble follows them from France, Lisette is captured and
used as a bargaining chip. I could feel Christian's fear for Lisette's safety
and desperate need to find her. I had some idea of the motivation behind this
event, but the bridge scene was quite a shock to Lisette and Christian. I loved
seeing Lisette stand up later to everyone trying to make decisions about her
life.
The surprising revelation about Lisette had an enormous
impact on her life. I ached for Christian, whose attempts to see her were
thwarted at every turn, making him one wretched man. The scene at the ball was
fantastic, as he had to watch Lisette's popularity while being sure he'd lost
her. Meanwhile, Lisette grew more frustrated with his avoidance of her, neither
of them realizing there had been outside forces keeping them apart. I laughed
out loud when Christian figured it out and found his fiery Lisette under the
layer of English polish she'd acquired. The scene on the terrace was fantastic,
and seeing them finally admit their feelings was great. The epilogue was
terrific, and it was great to see all of the Dangerous Dukes and their ladies
together.
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