Grant Henderson marries the daughter of another clan laird in hopes the union will strengthen a bond between two warror clans. Instead of accepting him as her husband --- as every other woman in the land would -- Isabelle MacKinnon prefers the Scottish handfast. Doing that will only bind the two for a year and a day, and she is not eager for a longer imprisonment. Grant's true love has been killed, and Isabelle is completely opposite in looks and demeanor to his idea of what his woman should be. However, a handfast marriage allows him to repudiate his wife and send her back to her clan -- once they discover the reason someone poisons Isabelle, causes constant strife between the two clans, dares to kidnap, and opens old wounds with another clan. Grant and Isabelle are strong individuals, but when paired and on the same mission, they are invincible