three years ago her husband stood accused of murder and the verdict that came in from the jury was the scottish verdict not proven the jury had not evidence enough to convict him nor enough to comfortably exonerate him eustace could not bear the weight of her discovery he fled to the continent to live in anonymity but valeria knew her husband and she loved him she knew he was innocent too with the sort of intuition that guides the lucky flawlessly and she set out to prove it to the world sunblazed beacheswith languid tropical breezes caressing her breathtakingly beautiful face bettina verlaine stood before the mast sailing westward to fulfill a promise her heart never mademarriage to a count her eyes had never beheld then in a moment of swashbuckling courage the pirate tristan swept her away and the spell of his passion was cast over her heart forever but many daysand fiery nightsmust pass before their love could flower into that fragile blossom a woman gives to only one man