Sir Alistair Munroe is a naturalist knighted for his service to the crown during the French and Indian War - a war that left him horribly maimed. Because of his scars he lives a near solitary existence in a crumbling Scottish castle. Until a dark and stormy night when he opens the door to a buxom beauty claiming to be his new housekeeper.

Helen Fitzwilliam has led a life full of mistakes, not least among them spending the last ten years as mistress to the Duke of Lister, a man without any kindness. But when the duke takes a new, younger mistress, Helen makes a decision she knows isn't a mistake. She leaves the duke, taking with her their two young children. Knowing that Lister hates to give up anything--even a mistress he's cast aside--Helen flees to Scotland and the home of a man she's never met.

These two wounded souls find an undeniable passion, and love, in each others arms, but the bliss of their relationship isn't to last. The Duke steals his children away from Helen, forcing her to reveal her true past to Alistair, and a friend from Alistair's army past is back from the dead--and quite possibly involved in the betrayal that lead to the massacre of their regiment