The Unknown Heir by Elizabeth Bramwell

Lady Cordelia Delby, never one to leave things to fate, has decided that she will marry this Season, or else accept that she is doomed to be nothing more than a spinster aunt for the rest of her life. She isn’t asking for much in a future husband: someone of acceptable birth, adequate fortune, moderate intelligence, passable looks, and an honest heart. There is only one thing she will not compromise on: he must be willing to live in England, preferably within a short drive of her parent’s estates, for she cannot imagine life away from her beloved family.

Jacques Gautereau came to England to meet the relatives of his long-deceased father, even if he was determined to dislike them for the odious way they had treated his mother when he was no more than an infant. He never expected to like the Cartwrights or to discover they had been unaware of his existence. He is shaken to the core, however, when he learns that he is the heir apparent to the elderly Marquis of Shropshire himself, and will inherit the title, the estates, and all the responsibilities that go with them. This is not part of Jacques’ plan; he adores his family in Montreal and is set for a career in the North West Company. Settling down in England has never been something he considered.

While Lord Shropshire busies himself preparing the documentation to prove Jacques is his heir, they agree to keep his position a secret – Shropshire so he can quell all doubts from the Regent, and Jacques so he can find a way out of this mess. In the meantime, he is introduced to the Ton as a distant cousin, where he meets the vivacious and determined Lady Cordelia Delby.

Fate and family conspire to bring Cordelia and Jacques together, where they forge an unlikely friendship that quickly transforms into something more profound. As they grow closer, however, Cordelia begins to suspect that Jacques is keeping a secret from her, and dishonesty is the one thing she cannot abide. Besides, their future plans are fundamentally incompatible, even if they are both able to admit to the emotions swirling in their hearts. The only way they could make a match of things is for one of them to give up everything they ever hoped for, but can love ever hope to survive such a sacrifice?