A powerful spinster, a lonely woman, and a hunky knight are front in center in this gripping tale of passion, meddling, betrayal, and the truest of loves.

It's Douglas de Lohr's turn to shine!

As the fifth son of the Earl of Hereford and Worcester, one of the most powerful men in the realm, Douglas has his share of power and prestige also. Rather than linger in his father's mighty shadow, or even the shadow of his important older brothers, Douglas is about to carve a path for himself that will either shatter his will to live... or make him the most impressive de Lohr son yet. It all begins when his father asks Douglas to go to the aid of the sister of an old friend, to an enormous castle in Devon where legends live and chaos reigns.

Lady Isabel de Kerrington is the sister in question, the heiress to the Earldom of Axminster and mistress of mighty Axminster Castle. A spinster all her life, she rules Axminster with an iron fist. But there are wolves at her door. She has requested that her brother's old friend, Hereford, send help, and it comes in the form of Douglas.

He walks into a strange, new world.

Another member of this strange, new world has been living a bland, loveless existence. Lady Misery Isabella Ruth d'Avignon has been at Axminster since childhood. Mira, as she is known, has been part of Lady Isabel's world for many years, and Lady Isabel looks upon Mira as her own daughter. It is Mira who helps Douglas gain his bearings in a castle that has only known instability as of late. Acquaintances become friends, and friends fall in love.

But there is a danger lurking at Axminster.

What starts out as a harmless annoyance quickly turns deadly when a former ally visits. A jealous young woman thinks to use this former ally against Mira, driving her away from Douglas, but what she unleashes threatens to destroy both Axminster and the House of de Lohr. She has launched a spark into a powder keg with unintended—and explosive—results. The implications are so far-reaching that it seems all hope is lost.

Can Douglas save the woman he loves? Or will she become the sacrifice?

It's an edge-of-your-seat ride in this epic de Lohr saga!