Before his untimely death, Lady Kila Murray's father betrothed her to Laird Colin Monro, a man she had previously met and thought to be most attractive. She agrees to the marriage and is soon on her way to Whitestag Castle to wed. While staying at an inn, she is kept from being trampled to death by a handsome Highlander, Duncan MacDonell. Kila becomes quite taken with her rescuer, and cannot keep him from her thoughts.Unbeknownst to Kila, Lady Verona Murray, her devious young stepmother, poisoned Kila's father, and is now bent on doing away with Kila anyway she can - as she is in love with Laird Monro herself - and the only way to have him is to get rid of her stepdaughter, leaving the path to the altar open for herself.While on his way to see the Earl of Riverglen, Duncan MacDonell ends up rescuing the beautiful and enticing Lady Kila Murray, for whom he has an undeniable attraction. Finding himself alone with the desirable lass, he ends up kissing her - which was the wrong thing to do - for now she occupies his thoughts every waking moment. Thinking he'll most likely never see Kila again, he is surprised when the earl asks him to escort her to Whitestag Castle and hand her over to her betrothed. Duncan soon finds himself in love with Kila, and realizes he'd rather die than to see her married to Monro, or any man but himself.