Katy Andrews, born to wealth and position, has never been thwarted or curbed by her gentle mother or her indulgent father. When she sets her cap at Jamie Hutchinson, she expects the ambitious young farmer to love her in return - but he does not. He falls in love instead with Katy's despised, gentle cousin Chloe Taylor, and Katy thinks she has nothing left to live for.

Driven half-mad with grief and horror, she turns to the most dangerous man she could possibly find: her loutish, brutal cousin Paddy Andrews.

The only man who can save her is Jamie Hutchinson. And he is married to another woman.