Can Lord Thomas, Earl of Whitstead, convince his oldest friend that he's in love with her-in just twelve days? Childhood friends Lord Thomas Willoughby, Earl of Whitstead, and Lady Phillipa Elmsworth are sick of the marriage-minded mayhem of the London Season. When Thomas proposes that they wed to escape the heartbreak and heartache they see around them, Pip gamely accepts. After all, almost no one is marrying for love in London. Why not marry for friendship? To keep rumors at bay, Tom and Pip have conspired to act besotted with one another in public and to live as amicable companions when in the privacy of their own home. However, the young couple will soon face sharp scrutiny when it comes time to host Christmas at Whitmore Castle, a beloved tradition that half the gentry will attend. Christmas at the castle means so much to Tom, and it's Pip's first true test as the new Countess of Whitstead. To take their minds off of the endless hosting duties and tedious guests, Tom suggests a Christmas contest. Who can outdo the other by planning the sweetest surprises and finding the most unusual gifts in a friendly battle of wits and wills? It's all in good fun, but as Christmas Eve approaches, Phillipa and Thomas begin to realize they're in danger. Both are on the verge of breaking their promises not to ruin a perfectly good marriage with something as messy as love. Will Christmas at Whitmore Castle end in triumph-or scandal?