It's been a long, miserable winter for Maxwell Lys Alabain. Crippled by a devastating melancholy that led him to betray his only daughter, Maxwell is attempting to recover, seeking some ray of sunshine to enlighten his dark days.

Has he found that in Edith, the bearded lady? Kind and gentle, Edith might seem ideal—and she herself is finding Maxwell distractingly attractive. But Edith carries dark scars from her past, as well as a wandering streak that she has suppressed for far too long.

A search for an heir brings them together on a journey to the coast, a new world for Edith that both delights and appalls her. Can romantic nights of passion overcome the danger of castle intrigue? Can Edith and Maxwell find lasting comfort in each other's arms? Or will the violence of the past overwhelm them?