Griffith, battle-seasoned warrior and the king’s most trusted emissary, expected to find a shallow, vain, frivolous woman at Wenthaven Castle. After all, as lady-in-waiting to the queen, lovely Lady Marian had been in a position of privilege, yet she had been banished from the court amid rumors she had given birth to an illegitimate child.

When he arrived, Griffith found Lady Marian to be strong, intelligent and fiercely protective of the young baby in her custody . . . and very suspicious of him. If he were smart, the knight would just deliver the message with which he had been entrusted. Instead, he longs to linger to delve into the mystery that is Marian, to discover what she so desperately fears—and why he so improperly wants her.`