The only life which sixteen-year-old herbalist Jane Dare has ever known suddenly and traumatically vanishes, when a group of renegade knights destroys the convent in which she has grown up and slays everyone who lives there except herself, the convent infirmarian, and their two patients. The survivors are rescued by two young and ambitious noblemen in the service of King Edward the Fourth, Sir Alan Sanford, and his close friend, Sir John du Fay. Sir Alan is determined to marry a wealthy noblewoman but his heart decrees otherwise. Captivated by the beautiful herbalist, he fights his attraction to her and loses. She is at his side throughout King Edward s fight for the throne. Yet Alan s ambition gets in the way. Knowing this, Jane, in spite of her love for him, lets him go, and pursues her chosen profession: healing. Alan takes control of vast lands in the north, and they part for several years. Until King Edward dies and leaves his son, a mere boy of thirteen, to inherit the throne surrounded by enemies. Their mutual concern for the lad and his younger brother brings Jane and Alan together again. But will they be able to save the boys and still find love once more?