Deep in the rugged Scottish countryside lies the Highland Targe, an ancient relic that, along with its Guardian, protects the heart of the Highlands.For centuries, the MacAlpin clan has watched over the Targe, but Lady Elspet, the current Guardian, is gravely ill. Her niece Rowan MacGregor, the rock of the family, is doing everything she can to hold her clan together when she meets Nicholas fitz Hugh.Handsome and charming, Nicholas quickly joins clan life -- yet he is not what he seems. A cunning spy, Nicholas is charged by the king of England with stealing the Targe, part of a plot to break the Scottish rebellion.Despite his loyalty to the king, Nicholas finds himself falling for beautiful Rowan. When Lady Elspet's health worsens and the guardianship is in question, Nicholas must choose between the king's will and his own. Can he betray his king and mission? Or will he turn on the woman he loves and the family he has come to care for?.