Persephone Mae Alden is the personification of a shy young miss, but with both of her older sisters missing, Mae is the only one left to care for their dying grandfather and deal with the disasters created by his outrageous will. Attorney James W. Collins V does what he can to shield Mae from the cruel realities of the world that the will would deprive her of everything. Finally he decides that offering marriage would be the best solution, but Mae will not hear of it. In the weeks since her grandfather's passing, she's discovered an inner resilience that she didn't know she possessed. She may be poor for the rest of her life, but she'll have her freedom from male dominance, and that is more precious to her than gold. Yet when James fans the flames of passion, she begins to wonder if cold freedom is enough to keep her warm for a lifetime.