Nathaniel Chandler is handsome and charming—and according to his father, that's about all. Though the family fortunes depend on Nathaniel's expertise throughout the Regency horse-racing world, a troubled past has broken the trust between father and son.

When an opportunity arises to lead a string of Thoroughbreds south from Newmarket for the Epsom Derby, Nathaniel jumps at the chance to prove his worth. His father agrees on the condition that his dependable new secretary, Rosalind Agate, makes the journey as well.

A female secretary is a bit of a scandal, but there's no denying that Rosalind is clever and adept. She hides scars from a childhood accident that changed the course of her life—but the benefactor who once saved her now brings danger. With her own secret reasons for taking a post with the Chandler family, Rosalind joins Nathaniel on the road.

With travel comes adventure—and a blossoming romance that turns passionate. But even as Rosalind tastes pleasure for the first time, the end of the road beckons. After the Derby, she and Nathaniel must return to the old roles that entrap them. How can these two lovers ever build a life together?