Chicago, 1871 A nighttime rendezvous, a secretive masquerade, and a city engulfed in flames… Most days, Kathleen O'Leary is a penniless maid. But tonight, she takes a risk and masquerades as a glamorous heiress, thanks to a borrowed gown and her friends' sense of adventure. To her surprise, the ruse succeeds-even Dylan Kennedy, Chicago's most eligible bachelor, seems enraptured. But like Kathleen, Dylan isn't who he says he is. And before...

Unaware of the fire sweeping toward them in the Chicago fire, Deborah Sinclair confronts her wealthy, powerful father, determined to refuse the society marriage he has arranged for her. Suddenly, out of the smoke and flames, a stranger appears--intent on avenging an unforgivable crime.