A Gentleman By Any Other Name - The Beckets of Romney Marsh, #1

The BecketsMore than a decade ago, the Beckets, an insular family of accumulated orphans and their patriarch, Ainsley, established themselves in an enormous, nearly fortress-like mansion they constructed on the wild and beautiful coast of Romney Marsh. Nobody bothered them, and they invited no one into their orbit. A Man With A MissionThe oldest orphan is Chance Becket, once a pickpocket and wharf rat on an island near Jamaica, now transported to the wilds of Romney Marsh.
Determined to forget who he was in favor of the man he is determined to become, he departs Romney Marsh for the society of London and a convenient position in the War Office. Now widowed, with a young daughter, he's ordered to return to his home to ferret out the smugglers who may be aiding Napoleon Bonaparte. The Curious Miss CarruthersNewly hired governess Julia Carruthers is eager to escape the confines of London.
Yet the excitement of the journey to Chance's strange home is nothing compared to her attraction to this complicated man. But when Julia sees something she should not, she wonders if Chance's romantic intentions are prompted by ungentlemanly desire or his need to protect his family's secrets...