Plain, penniless and lonely, the best Lady Ruth Penderric has to look forward to is a loveless marriage to a condescending pastor. But her less obvious qualities--her intelligence and courage--stand her in good stead when she is kidnapped and held for ransom. With her fellow prisoner, Oliver, she escapes and the kidnappers are caught. The incident reveals her fiancee's lack of concern and her brother's active antipathy toward her. Spurred by fear that their brother will attempt something really awful, Ruth and her pretty (but dumb) sister flee to London. And there, Ruth meets Oliver once more.

This is probably the weakest Dunn I've read yet. It was still enjoyable, but the plot was haphazard and melodramatic and the description of madness both insulting and artificial. ( )