Some might call it a marriage of convenience: North, the ninth Earl of Carlyon, needs money for the upkeep of his family estate, and Jane Graham, an American heiress, is in love with the idea of being a countess and presiding over that magnificent estate, Longwarden. But she gradually falls in love with North himself and becomes determined to win his heart as well as his title. Three other women’s lives revolve around Longwarden—women who have passions and problems of their own. The beautiful Lady Allegra Lomax, North’s sister, has at last found her calling as a writer. To her surprise, she has also finally found a lover who excites her: Alessandro Risconti, a charming Italian artist whose talent has earned him fame and fortune. But she is not ready to sacrifice her career to follow him all over the world. Penelope, North and Allegra’s widowed mother, seems to care more about plants than people. Having lived through an unsatisfying marriage, she finds herself falling in love now for the first time, but with someone completely unsuitable. Penelope’s nineteen-year-old niece, Sarah, has not yet outgrown her adolescent love for horses or for her childhood sweetheart, Nick. Though Nick is away in Spain, she stubbornly rejects the lecherous advances of Tark Osgood, a local youth who has a Cockney accent and a chip on his shoulder. As this exciting, fast-paced story moves from New England to old England and from New York to the Caribbean, these strong and passionate women clash with lovers, husbands, and even the law as they confront emotional challenges and pursue their dreams.