Jonathan Howard, The Viscount of Dorchester, has never had an easy time making friends. A horrible stammer and social awkwardness have put him low on the marriageable lists, despite his title and vast fortune. He never wanted to be married either, until he met Miss Posy Turner at a London ball.

Posy Stoke doesn't recall much of her life before her uncle, the Duke of Guildford, found her. What she does remember is a blurred mix of scenes in her mind, but the only thing she knows for sure is that she's afraid to be touched by others, especially men. When a gentleman gets too close during a dance, he discovers a part of her past that she doesn't remember and makes an improper advance. Hidden memories come rushing to the surface and Posy faints, but Jonathan comes to her rescue just in time.

Posy's secret past is now out in the open and her uncle takes her to the country to escape the worst of the scandal. Jonathan can't keep her off his mind and decides scandal or not, he must have her, no matter the cost. But danger follows Posy wherever she goes and Jonathan must fight to keep her safe and to keep her his.