His touch irresistible. His kisses unforgettable. And yet she lets him go . . . After living under his tyrannical father's shadow and then in support of his laird brother, Stuart Ross is ready to forge a path of his own. When he falls in love with a servant girl, he proposes and vows to return to marry her. What Stuart doesn't anticipate are the obstacles of a village under siege, a horrible sickness, and a huge winter storm that will keep him away much longer than he expects. Cait Brown's entire life changes when the laird's brother proclaims his love and asks her to marry him. Despite the anticipation of marriage and a new life, being suddenly taken from her humble existence and thrown into a world of abundance is a difficult transition. The longer Stuart stays away, the more she doubts her ability to truly fit in. When Stuart finally comes back, he returns to an unrecognizable, and aloof beauty. Contains mature themes.