The year is 1073. The gentle convent-bred Elena, awakened to the joys of forbidden passion by the masterful knight Aimery le Sabrenn, has been forcibly separated from her lover by war. She is haunted by the memory of him. Then fate brings her to William the Conqueror"s dark stronghold of Rouen, and a reunion with Aimery. Although he still captivates Elena with his powerful masculinity, Aimery is no longer hers. As the King"s formidable knights prepare for war, Elena discovers that she must fight a desperate battle for him against her two rivals; the scheming sensual Isobel and a wanton young heiress called Henriette, who has set her heart on becoming Aimery"s bride. The backdrop of war tightens around them and dangerous games of love and lust are played out amidst the increasing tension of a merciless siege.