Beautiful Elise Laffont seems too young and alive to be a widow at the ageof twenty-five. But she is not grieving the loss of her husband. The manhad been a complete cad, abusing her delicate womanhood until she could not stand the thought of a man's desire. And so, despite her youth she isquite content to remain alone, managing her small Louisiana farm undisturbed. Just when Elise has begun to eke out a small bit of independence for herself, an uprising of the fierce Natchez Indians forcesher to flee the farm, which represents all the happiness she has ever known. In order to escape massacre, she must become the mistress of a frighteningly commanding half-blood... Reynaud Chavalier is the son of a French nobleman and a Natchez princess. His imposing stature and rugged masculine beauty prove irresistible to Elise. But with her history of abuse at the hands of her late husband, will she allow herself to be calmed by his reassuring caresses? All she wants is to be left alone... until she feels the power of true love.