Evelyn Dalton longs for the freedom she enjoyed as a child, exploring her ancestral home of Airedale Keep and causing as much trouble as she could get away with. Now her conscience is heavy with expectations, and the only time she truly feels free from the stone walls of the Keep is when she takes her daily ride. From the top of her favorite viewpoint, she watches and wonders about the lives of the people in the port and the ships that frequent it. Little does she know that someone on an approaching ship will change her life forever.

In just a matter of days, Evelyn finds her life turned upside down as her parents prepare to marry her to the youngest son of the Tallisker family. Unwelcome as this news is to Evelyn, she's about to learn there are others who seek to undermine her marriage and attempt to win her hand.