Devon, 1574. With Queen Elizabeth firmly on the throne and Maria now married to her beloved Hugo Kendal, all seems calm at Heron. But the plague is to strike at the core of their happiness when it claims gentle Harriet, wife of the Kendal heir, Allan.
Despite Allan's great grief, a new mistress for Heron must be found. But with the arrival of Eloise Ballantyne -- beautiful, arrogant, wilful -- a bitter rivalry ensues. For while Allan craves her affection, she wants only his inheritance, and looks to his younger brother, Martin, for love...
