He would protect her with his life, even if he lost his heart. 1419 A.D. Sir Morgan MacEwan, bastard son of a warrior lord, and knight of the Homme du Sang has only known battle and brotherhood. But when he is sent on an important mission, he is met with something he has no shield against: the strength of a woman’s heart. Columba deMorney, the daughter of a disgraced French lady, is grieving the loss of her mother while fighting off a man who will stop at nothing to wed into French nobility. Driven to the point of near starvation, Columba prays for a way to survive without giving in to Lord George Stalworth’s demands. Though, she hadn’t expected her help to arrive bleeding and unconscious. Wounded in an ambush, Mac cannot believe his luck; he is nursed back to health by the very woman he was sent to protect. As his wound heals, Mac quickly realizes that fierce Columba has become more than just his mission. But as their enemy closes in, can the defender save his dove? Or will the dove take flight, leaving Mac defenseless against the heartbreak?