The Duke's Gambit

the long version

Beautiful Andrea Howard has been living a quiet life in the country with her ailing grandfather and two cousins when she meets their handsome neighbor, the Duke of Haverford. The first encounter goes badly, yet intrigued with each other, Andrea and the duke agree to marry to respect her grandfather’s wish that she be settled in life before his illness takes hold. Married life begins promisingly but when the duke is called upon to break up a ring of French spies, he leaves Andrea on her own with no explanation. The misunderstanding makes Andrea unsure about whether the marriage can survive.