During the turbulent, decadent reign of William II, a royal mercenary finds himself caught in the throes of an unexpected passion—and played as a pawn in a treacherous game…

The bastard son of a Norman nobleman, Robert Beaumont has blossomed into one of England’s fiercest killers—and has found himself well paid for his talents. But now the time has come for him to set aside his sword. The king has agreed to reward him for his last service with an estate…on one condition: Robert must marry the sitting tenant—the infamous Lady Deformed.