Kitty Gordon was a war widow without a penny to her name. It had been two years since her husband Peter’s death and the small pittance his brother had given her had run out despite economizing and taking in as much work as she could. His fellow officers had offered her help, but she’d always refused out of pride. Now she had nothing left, including pride. She seeks a post at her old home, Thackeray Close, hoping her distant relation will have pity on her and take her on as his servant. Matthias, Lord Thackeray, returned to the army when he was needed to fight after a Napoleon’s escape from Alba, despite having sworn off fighting after his best friend Peter’s death. He survived the bloody carnage at Waterloo but was not left unscathed. His leg was shattered and he was sent home to England to heal. But when he wakes from his fever, he finds Kitty, his father’s old ward and first love, there begging for work as his housekeeper! He owes it to his deceased best friend and her husband to provide for her, but will her being there only create more wounds? Or will they be able to help and heal each other?