The Raider by Jude Deveraux

Handsome Alexander Montgomery has been away from home sailing the world. When he returns at the request of his sister, he is appalled by the way the British soldiers are treating the American colonists. Taking on a Robin Hood-like persona, called the Raider, Alex dons black clothing and a black mask, and rides a black horse seeking justice for the oppressed colonists. Unfortunately, he is shot on his first ride, and must steal away on a friend's ship in disguise. When he arrives home still in disguise, Alex becomes the laughing-stock of the town. Everyone believes that he has become a fat, lazy, eccentric buffoon, including the beautiful and feisty Jessica Taggert, Alex's childhood acquaintance, who is every bit as indignant about the British tyranny. Over time "Alex" wins Jessica's friendship. Her heart however, belongs to the Raider, for it is he who comes to her in the dead of night with kisses that leave her breathless. Now Alex must find a way to integrate his two selves into one man that Jessica can love, without being discovered by the British authorities. This is an endearing, light-hearted romance with lots of laugh-out-loud scenes. The Raider is another novel in Ms. Deveraux's Montgomery saga.