Constance had given him up. Gabriel, the one man who could make her smile, who could bring joy to her world, was gone. She deliberately drove him away. She gave in to her parents' wishes and agreed to marry Barnard, a much older neighbor, to solidify her family’s borders. A handfasting, two failed attempts at having children, and she never even got that ring.
Six years later, bandits are invading the realm while Barnard is too occupied with other women to lift a finger. To make matters worse, Gabriel returns home from the Crusades, his honor and strength a bitter reminder of all she has lost. Watching the single maidens vie for his affection is almost more than she can bear. When Barnard turns violent, Constance is forced to flee for her life. Gabriel rides to the rescue - an act which brings the hangman’s noose!