"Dear Reader: What happens when a woman marries a dying man to secure her inheritance - and then the blasted man hasn't the grace to die? I first explored this idea in a Regency called The Would-Be Widow, first published in 1989. Now, I've rewritten the book to give the story and characters greater length and depth, and given it a new title, The Bargain. Facing a marriage deadline, Lady Jocelyn Kendal impulsively weds Major David Lancaster, a penniless officer dying of wounds received at Waterloo. In return, his younger sister will receive a generous income - and David will have the enchanting Jocelyn for a wife, if only for a few days... Then fate takes a hand, and Jocelyn suddenly finds herself with a healthy, vibrant husband - a seasoned campaigner who wants to renegotiate the terms of their bargain, and will use every bit of charm and passion he possesses to win the heart of his bewildered bride...
Sincerely, Mary Jo Putney"
