Grant Morgan is one of the most famous and sought after of London’s Bow Street Runners. He’s made a substantial fortune solving crimes for the wealthy, but is starting to find his life a bit boring. When he’s called to the banks of the Thames to identify what appears to be a strangled woman, he is first of all surprised to discover that she is still breathing, and secondly, by her identity. The half-dead woman is Vivien Duvall, London’s most desirable courtesan.
Once she wakes up and is examined by a doctor, it becomes clear that she has entirely lost her memory. She doesn’t know how notorious she is or who may have tried to kill her. Grant decides to keep her at his house, both to make sure she is adequately protected, but also because he is plotting revenge against Vivien. A few months back, he rejected her sexual advances in public and she proceeded to spread a number of rumours about Grant. Now that she is entirely dependent on him for protection, he sees an opportunity to possibly seduce her and get back at her.
As they investigate which of Vivian’s many lovers might have had cause to murder her, he pretends that he was her most recent patron. However, Vivian seems to be absolutely appalled by all the things she discovers about her life and claims to have no wish to return to a life as a courtesan. For all that Grant was angry and resentful towards Vivian in the beginning, the more time he spends with the timid, soft-spoken woman in his care, the more he grows properly attached to her. He doesn’t really want revenge anymore, he just wants to protect her.
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