In The Brief Eternal Silence

Enter into the world of the Duke of St. James in Victorian England, 1863. . .

Lizzie Murdock has heard of this Duke, derisively known as merely 'St. James' in an ironic twist to the title he holds versus his lifestyle known to be anything but saintly. The fact that he is rich and once considered 'the catch of the decade' holds no attractions for her.

When he offers her an astounding proposal, she is more offended than flattered and vows to rebuff his determined advances. Their continued sparring over her future leads to the revelation that he believes he won't be sharing in it for very long. "There is a very good possibility that you shall become a widow at an extremely young age," he says. "Now doesn't that make the prospect of marrying me much more pleasant?"

With those words, Lizzie is sucked into his world, a world where she expects to find a self-centered man enjoying privilege and ease, but where instead she finds a man of uncommon character fighting for his life and prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for those he loves. Her involvement causes consequences that neither of them can foresee, and an arranged proposal meant to flush out evil produces much more until their very survival will depend upon their love for each other.