Radical surgeon George Evans is called to the scene of a midnight duel between an earl and his cousin. Despite the strained atmosphere in the house, George finds he must stay and tend to the injured duellists. Fortunately, his sojourn is made more than bearable by the earl's quietly competent and oddly attractive valet, Noah Moorecott.Under his reserved exterior, Noah turns out to have a wry sense of humour and a passion for reading to match George's own. The more time the two men spend together—whether enthusing over natural philosophy or arguing over politics—the closer they grow, quickly becoming friends, then lovers.They live in two different worlds, but it seems nothing can keep them apart—until they find themselves on opposite sides in a murder inquiry.~ The Oak and the Ash is part of the Old Bridge Inn Series, a collection of loosely related novels that can be read in any order. Each book contains a standalone romance. ~