Lady Kathleen Carhart knows all about imperfect marriages. For years, she has secretly helped women escape their violent husbands. She feels she owes it to womankind. After all, her husband is perfect: handsome, gentle, amusing...and best of all, he left the country three years ago. She isn't even bitter about that anymore. Mostly. When Ned Carhart returns in the middle of her most delicate operation to date, her life is thrown into turmoil. She'll do anything to preserve her secrets...even if it means risking her heart to the man who abandoned her once.