Wife, The Earls

Edward Tremayne, Earl of Ketrick, is in the company of his rather unconventional mistress when he first sees the young and beautiful Claire de Lancie. Miss de Lancie is in London under the care of her mysterious and sickly Aunt Sophie -- a lady everyone has heard of but nobody seems to have seen. Claire is in urgent need of a husband, and Edward, for reasons of his own, is ready to take a wife. As the Countess of Ketrick, Claire is a hit in London society but uncomfortable in town. Returning to Edward's country estate, her driver is assaulted and her traveling carriage waylaid. Edward is frantic when he discovers the overturned and empty carriage.