England, 1154.
The blood feud between the Merclifs and the Cardels has been raging for years. To end it, King Henry orders handsome, self-reliant Alaric, Baron Merclif, to marry Helena, Cardel’s daughter. But can Alaric risk bringing her into his serene home? What if she is like her greedy, evil father and brothers? Yet what other choice does Alaric have?
When Helena overhears her father’s secret plans to invade Merclif Castle and murder her and Alaric on their wedding night, she knows she must tell Alaric. But can she trust him? And if he stops the plot, will he annul their forced marriage—her only chance to get away from her abusive father? As Helena struggles to overcome the fears and shame caused by her father’s degradation, she wonders if any man could ever accept her scars … and choose to love her, just as she is.