Stephen Kenyon, Duke of Ashburton, has always taken the duties of his rank seriously-until shocking news sends him running from his isolating world of wealth and privilege to roam the countryside as an ordinary man. When he meets the lovely Rosalind Jordan, a foundling who has grown into an enchanting, compassionate woman, she stirs the deepest desires of his heart. Yet how can Stephen declare his love when he is haunted by the knowledge that made him flee his old life? And how can Rosalind risk loving a man who fulfills her secret dreams but can never be hers?

Readers around the world cherish the novels of Mary Jo Putney for their rich historical settings, ingenious plots, and characters so real they jump from the page into your heart. Now the winner of two Romance Writers of America RITA awards and a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award sweeps us into the mesmerizing story of two unlikely lovers, thrown together by fate. . . .