Sir Alasdair MacLachlan is a dashing man-about-town, too charming for his own good, and his rakish behavior towards women have gained him a notorious reputation. But Sir Alasdair's cavalier past is about to catch up with him when a beautiful stranger arrives on his doorstep with a basket full of surprises.

Miss Esme Hamilton is a gentlewoman tossed out of the home and life she knew in Scotland by a vindictive stepfather. With her infant sister Sorcha in tow, Esme makes her way to London by her wits and her tenacity, and calls on the man she holds responsible for their plight. Sir Alasdair MacLachlan, she is confident, has committed more than a few sins. But Esme vows that Sorcha is one he won't walk away from.