Miss Elsie Keating is the daughter of a vicar and a fallen woman, who harbours her own dark secret.

Nonetheless she bravely sets out to a new county, to alert the heir to a dukedom that he must come to Town, to fulfil his obligations to his family. She expects an elderly man who will be eager to accept his responsibilities, but Kit defies all of her expectations.

Kit Fitzsimmons is the heir to a cursed title, and believes no good can come from leaving Cornwall.

Having witnessed his familys bedevilment firsthand, the starchy gentleman is loath to accept his new nobility and the charming young lady who arrives unexpectedly on his estate, demanding he do as she says. The pair clash immediately, uncomfortable with the mutual attraction they feel.

Despite their class division and utter opposition of temperament, can these two learn to trust each other and escape their familial curses to find happiness?