Duke's Project — Sharon Lanergan

When a girl from London's East End finds the body of a gentleman thrown away with the rest of the rubbish of a seedy tavern, she ends up at the home of the dashing duke who is investigating the mysterious murder. Forced to live on the streets when her mother, a seamstress who dared to marry an earl, escaped a murderous duke, Dani dreams of a better life. She never expects her life to actually change so dramatically. When his obnoxious cousin is killed, Simon Thorndike, Duke of Stratford is asked by his aunt to investigate. On a rainy day three days after her discovery, Dani forces her way into his life. Simon has a tendency to take in strays or projects. Dani must be his latest one. Her fantasy of being rescued by a handsome prince is coming true. But Dani doesn't know if she is simply a project or if her position in his household is more than temporary.