The Highest Bidder — Lois Edmonds

When the mysterious Count Celantano bids an enormous amount for Rachel's dinner party lot in a charity auction, she soon discovers it isn't her culinary skills he wants. She finds herself falling for him, but she is devastated to learn he isn't free to love her. His betrothal to a young girl he barely knows was a promise to his dying father and not to be broken at any cost.

Despite this, their love blossoms beyond their control. When their partings became more than she could bear Rachel tells her Count to stay away â€" forever. Will the Count follow his duty and marry the fiancé he didn't love, or will his desire for his English Rose prove too strong?