When Drumannach Castle is burned to the ground and its inhabitants put to the sword by the malevolent Baron Alric Grymwald, only five-year-old Katherine Drummond survives the carnage. The orphaned heiress is rescued by Highland Chieftain Duncan McGregor, and borne safely away, across the sea to Scotland. A loyal knight in the service of England's most able king, Henry II, McGregor has seen too much killing in his life and longs only for peace. In the tranquil Scottish village of Cala, McGregor raises the spirited and rebellious girl as his own, only to find that he has "bitten off a wee bit more" than he can chew. Kate Drummond is a stubborn terror, and at least as determined as he is to have her way.A passion burns in young Katherine's breast - for vengeance on the man whose evil face she has never seen, but whose implacable hatred brought about the savage murder of her beloved parents and the loss of her ancestral home. As she grows older, her desire to seek out the bloodthirsty Grymwald and kill him grows stronger, and she crosses swords with her loving but stern guardian more than once. She pleads with the aging and war-weary McGregor to train her.McGregor wishes only to protect the adopted daughter he loves and is pleased and relieved when she falls in love with handsome Stephen Lachlan, a young English knight in McGregor's service, who might be strong enough to tame the strong-willed Katherine.Though happy to be Stephen's wife, Kathy has never forgotten her vow to kill Grymwald. Defying Stephen's orders, she returns to Drumannach alone in search of her parents' murderer, putting herself, her husband and her beloved guardian in grave peril.