The new Earl of Wraxham, Lionel Westfall, reluctantly leaves a London life of entertainments and dissipation to assume the quiet duties of his late father s country estate. He doesn t expect to find Sophie Bowerbank, his first and only love, the rector s daughter he once kissed passionately in the kissing gate. Lionel doesn t need her love. With six troubled sons from his first marriage, he needs help. And studious Sophie seems the perfect choice to tutor his three sons still at home, the rapscallion twins Maxim and Alexander, and his youngest Simon, tormented by night terrors. As mishaps and nightmares unfold, she becomes their staunch ally. Then Graeme, Lionel s oldest, is sent down from Oxford, and Andrew and Marcus are expelled from school. Sophie boldly defends them too, but Lionel has yet to learn how bold she truly is. For the spinster Sophie has mastered the erotic texts in his father s library and wants nothing more than for Lionel to liberate her from her troublesome virginity if he will just take a chance. Then they could explore the passion discovered in the kissing gate when they were young and find the ultimate in sensual fulfillment."