Jack Carstares has been in exile, ever since the day that his younger brother cheated at cards, and Jack took the blame so Richard wouldn’t lose the girl he loved. Jack’s now come back to England, and taken up highway robbery.
Richard has been trying to make up for his actions in the years since, and when their father dies, makes sure that Jack is made the new Earl of Wyncham, even though Jack will not take the title.
Into this, comes the Duke of Andover, the Black Moth, a total scoundrel. He’s decided to kidnap the lovely Diana Beauleigh, but Jack arrives just in time to foil the kidnapping.
Naturally, he and Diana fall in love, but he can’t marry her because he’s a highwayman, but Richard’s still feeling guilty about the whole thing, and it’s Georgette Heyer, so you know everything will work out in the end.
Lost yet? This is definitely one of the most convoluted Heyer books I’ve read, but it’s still fun, even when it’s completely absurd.