The devil's protection

the long version

Geneva Hartwell has been left a substantial inheritance by her estranged uncle. Upon the death of her father though she learns that she has been made the ward of Leonard Boeman, her late uncle’s avaricious stepson. In escaping his unwelcome attentions, she runs across Lord Vance at a country inn where he rescues his flighty sister from a fortune hunter. Lord Vance and Geneva had met briefly before and, in sympathy with her predicament, he persuades her to undertake a sham betrothal until she reaches her majority and can escape her guardian for good. For his own reasons, Lord Vance also decides it best for them all to spend the betrothal period with his aunt and uncle in Vienna. As they spend more time together, Geneva and Lord Vance realize on their own that they would very much like the betrothal to be real but pride and jealous rivals keep interfering.