#paperback#fiction#adventure#romance Original printing. This is another of Ms Quick's fun cloak and dagger stories that involves two couples and personality opposites- for the heroes they are best friends who worked together during the Napoleonic War while the heroines are cousins from different branches of the same family. Both men are personality opposites who end up with the lady who is also a personality opposite on the surface. All the principal characters are well over 21 years old. They all struggle to keep their own "masks" securely in place while trying to see under the "masks" of the other. Again, the first marriage occurs early in the story and it evolves that they must work together as they are still trying to develop the trust so necessary.The "crazy glue" of the first relationship is the physical attraction each has for the other as they often function at cross purposes. A clue that some may be a bit more graphic than one is used to reading in some stories, but its well written and appropriate to the growth process in the relationship. During the various intrigues that the Earl and his Countess become involved in they put their best friend and close cousin in constant proximity to each other until they too, discover that once the masks are all lowered there is a great deal to connect them as well. It is an intriguing story although to tell the truth I sorta had the villain figured out early but there was a couple of "OMG" moments that certainly made the read very interesting.