In the spring of 1819 civil unrest in the north of England spreads gradually south. The Duke of Winchester introduces Adam Pengelly, a falconer, to his estate to help discover the identity of the agitators and keep his family safe.
Lady Portia, the duke’s younger sister, is enthralled by Adam’s falcons, but even more attracted to the man himself. Used to moving about the estate unnoticed, Portia gradually discovers more about Adam’s mysterious past. When she overhears him agree to a clandestine meeting late at night on a secluded part of the estate, concern for his welfare causes her to follow him; with catastrophic results she could not have foreseen.
Adam, deeply moved by Portia’s courage, is perilously close to developing feelings for a lady who is out of his class. But his heart already belongs to another…