A woman who has vowed to do her duty.
A man with demons in his past.
A love that neither can deny.
When Susannah Archer meets the man her father has chosen for her to marry, she is bitterly disappointed, knowing at once she will never find happiness with him. But Susannah vowed long ago to accept her beloved father's choice of husband, and she is not about to renege on that promise.
Sir Daniel Gifford has recently returned from the war against the Spanish in the Netherlands. He is tired of living, still grieving the death of his wife ten years before. So when a chance meeting with Susannah stirs a new desire for life in him, he is taken by surprise. He had thought he would never love again.
As Daniel sets out to coax her away from her impending marriage, Susannah's vow is sorely tested. Caught between desire and obligation, she is trapped. How can she reconcile her duty to her father with the wishes of her heart? And dare she trust Sir Daniel's intentions towards her? As the two men press their suit for her hand, Susannah must choose between them: will she be a dutiful daughter or marry the man that she loves?