Ambushed as he approaches an English estate, Lord Cort Dornogard trusts no one...least of all spirited Gaelic healer Alexis Fallon, who fascinates even as she defies him. The magnificent Norse warrior is a threat to both Alexis' heart and her cherished autonomy, for she harbors a secret about the ambush she cannot reveal. Honesty will cost her her freedom. But silence may cost her far more. Cort harbors a damning secret of his own--one guaranteed to foment rebellion among his new subjects. The escalating attacks and accidents confirm that fear. His foes, both English and Norman, will exploit what he hides to destroy him, his dreams, and the woman he's grown to love. Snared in a web of castle intrigue, passion, and betrayal, Cort and Lexi are each far more than either suspects. Will they discover too late that truth is a two-edged sword?