Captain Samuel Lumley is proud to follow in his cousin's footsteps and serve king and country in the cavalry. Wounded in the Battle of Waterloo, he is cared for by an angel in the form of his lieutenant's wife. A promise to his dying comrade leaves Sam with the responsibility of seeing to the safety of the lieutenant's widow, Mrs. Ellen Staverton.
Upon their return to England, Ellen finds herself homeless and in need of employment. When Sam's mother offers her a temporary home with the family, Ellen quickly grows too fond of them and Sam in particular. She must find a position before she falls for him, which would dishonor the memory of her dead husband.

Night terrors of the slaughters he survived have left Sam an empty husk of a man. He has little to offer a woman beyond his name and income so he won't think of marriage, but the only joy in his life is the laughter of his angel, Ellen. Can he heal his inner wounds before she is gone from his life completely?