With her hand in marriage and the security of her beloved Haverleigh at stake, Lady Gwyneth is desperate. So when she comes upon a young man who might be the solution to her predicament, she does not hesitate to act, though it means entering into a dangerous deceit and inviting a thief into her castle. All Gavin has known is a life of lawless poverty. Left for dead and taken in by a very young, very determined lady, he has little choice but to entertain her request. Posing as a squire, he begins to train the farmers and craftsmen of Haverleigh in the art of combat. In doing so, Gavin begins to know a far different life—and to crave all it has to offer. As Haverleigh is secured through their labor and collusion, sparks fly between Gwyneth and her thief. In a moment of rash indiscretion, a kiss nearly undoes them both. Love between a lady and a thief is unthinkable...unless the truth can remain hidden.