Joanna had been an inexperienced 18–year–old when she'd married Gabriel Verne. She'd loved her new husband but had been devastated to discover that he'd simply married her out of duty. When the honeymoon was over, so was their marriage....But then Gabriel returned home to claim his inheritance – and his wife! By the terms of his late father's will, he and Joanna must live together as man and wife for a year. Joanna was determined to resist, but Gabriel wanted her back – whatever it took!