Two of the strongest wills in England clash when Lord Rothgar is commanded by the king to escort the fiercely independent Diana Westmount, the Countess of Arradale, to London. Though Rothgar, tortured by a tragic secret, has become a master at resisting temptation, Diana proves a challenge to his steely resolve. Then his icy self-control melts in a moment of peril -- and a night of passion -- and he must find the strength to surrender his heart to another ...