Returning home from France Robina Melville finds surprises awaiting her – not all of them pleasant. Almost immediately it becomes clear that the familiar surroundings of Trentham House are not the sanctuary that she hoped for, and she soon feels unwanted and alone. A chance encounter with a childhood friend, the handsome new Earl of Hampton, provides Robina with employment as his secretary and a temporary escape from her stepmother's clutches. But when Robina is forced to flee in order to avoid the unwanted attentions of Lord Drury, she finds herself at the mercy of the Earl's dissolute brother, Ellis. With a stepmother who will stop at nothing to marry her off, can Robina discover her true heart's desire as well as regain the love of her father?