Sir Gareth de Hugues has built a formidable reputation as a warrior. Now, eager to prove himself off the battlefield, he plans to manage his family's Devon estates --- only to be ambushed en route by a brazen robber. Furious, Gareth sets out in pursuit, and discovers his assailant to be a stunning, courageous young woman struggling to provide for her brother and ailing mother. Neither his conscience nor his sudden deep attraction will permit him to let her go, but bringing her family to his castle could endanger them all. Growing up in the slums of London, Zetta had two paths open to her --- harlot or pickpocket. She chose the latter, and has survived using only her quick wits. Her mother's fate taught her that trusting a man leads to ruin, yet Gareth's tender courtship exerts an irresistible pull. But when Zetta's beauty earns the attention of the king, she and Gareth are drawn into a web of ambition and greed --- and only the boldest hearts will survive.