The heir - Catherine Coulter

A love story full of anger, passion and fire Handsome Justin Deverill, the new Earl of Strafford must marry his cousin Arabella, or gain nothing but an empty title. It is her dead father's order that she marry Justin, but when they do, their relationship seems fraught with resentment and strife. Justin believes that Arabella has betrayed him before their wedding, and is determined to find out the identity of his wife's lover. The earl is convinced that he must be the young and charming Comte de Trecassis, a relative visiting from France. Justin wants to kill Trecassis, but restrains himself as he knows the young man came to England for a reason, and he is determined to find out why, sure that he's up to no good.