When a beautiful yet cunning Frenchwoman tries to trick a Scottish scoundrel, passionate mayhem ensues. After accusing Malcolm MacLauchlin of taking her virtue, Isabella De la Croix sets sail for Scotland to marry him. Or so everyone assumes. In truth, no such thing will happen. Not to a scoundrel like him. Instead, treasure awaits and a new life beyond the clutches of her cruel father. Doomed to wed a lass he dislikes, Malcolm must see through his pact with his brothers. Marry to fill the clan’s coffers. Yet when the De la Croix ship sails by without stopping, he suspects foul play. As it happens, deception is indeed at work. Not just at the hands of the pirates who captured Isabella but what he learns upon saving her. Embarking on a whirlwind adventure with more nefarious suitors than any one lass should have, Malcolm marries Isabella to keep her safe. After Hogmanay, if she wants to leave, he’ll let her go. What neither counts on, however, is mutual attraction. A genuine connection they didn’t foresee. Will it be enough to keep them together when shocking secrets come to light, though? Or will the cold hard truth about who Malcolm really is ultimately drive them apart?