Twas the night before mischief and all through the house, a lady was plotting—it was time to break out! When Penelope Darlington is persuaded to elope with a most unsuitable suitor, she wastes no time. With visions of passion and adventure dancing in her head, she steals away in the middle of the night, just before her father’s Christmas feast. Fearing for his daughter’s reputation, Horace Darlington begs Jacob Hall, the Earl of Rushton’s daring yet discreet son, to bring Penelope home. When Jacob finally catches up to Penelope, he is shocked. She’s not the silly little girl he expected, but a beautiful woman with a sharp mind and an allure that cannot be ignored. Now forced to kidnap Penelope in order to bring her home, Jacob and his new charge spend the next several days—and nights—in very close quarters. Penelope wanted passion and adventure, but she never could have imagined the pleasures Jacob can provide… *Publisher's Note: An earlier edition of this book was published under the name Nina Rowan by Hachette / Grand Central Publishing.