To be held at the business end of a pistol is not the way to meet a girl, nor the way to have a first date. But when Robert Armstrong, Baron Duncan, happened upon the beleaguered young woman, his offer of help was received with her pistol pointed at his heart. The damsel in distress, instead of gratitude, showed him only determination to keep him at bay. However, she was not bereft of logic, and finally, she understood that his offer of help was more than justified, as her little gig was covered by a small mound of snow and ice fallen from the mountain slope.

While liberating the horse from the reins holding it still attached to the gig, Robert, or Rob to his friends, could hear the noise made by new snow moving down the slope, in a crescendo announcing a major avalanche. He jumped and carried the young woman a short distance, falling on top of her and saving her life, as the avalanche fell roaring over the place she had occupied earlier.

The inclement weather kept Iantha Kethley as a forced guest in the Eyrie for the next two days, an only woman caught among six single men. The unseemly situation was beyond repair and Lord Duncan knew there was only one honorable way out. Though he was not looking for a wife, he could see himself spending the rest of his life with Iantha-clever, educated and sensitive, and beautiful in a very special way. Only one point was needing clarification: her obvious reluctance to let any of them come close to her, not to speak of touching. She avoided contact as the very bane of her life.

When the weather allowed it, Rob accompanied Iantha to her home and, after a polite dinner, retired with the father to discuss his proposal. To his surprise, Lord Kethley was not as happy as Rob had hoped, and instead of a discussion of matrimony, was invited to listen to a tale of woe. When eighteen, Iantha had been gang raped by men unknown, wearing red silk masks, and she, though innocent of the deed, was suffering the aftereffects even now, after six long years. To his eternal regret, Lord Kethley informed Rob that though honored by his offer for his daughter's hand, he would have to take up his chance with the daughter, and from what he knew of her, she would refuse outright.

A man of honor, Rob had done his duty and had asked for the lady's hand in marriage, but the news presented by her father was enough to set him free from any obligation. Then, why did he insist to have a talk with the young lady? And why when she was ready to set him free, did he insist that she give him and her a chance? He even promised a long courtship to give her time to get used to the idea of closeness to him, but was firm on a very short time before the betrothal. Better on Christmas.

As all understood the danger of reviving the old rumors about the lady's virtue, especially with her forced sejour at the Eyrie without a proper chaperone, announcing the betrothal as soon as possible was more than indicated.

Rob offered to have the party held in his castle and have the ladies assist only with the invitations and the organizational help, while he would take care of the safety of all who would be his guests. But the main advantage was Iantha's ability to retire when the press of people around her would become uncomfortable, a thing that would have been denied her, had she been the hostess in her mother's home.

During the party some treated her badly, sneering and reminding her without words of her station in life, only to be surprised themselves by the betrothal announcement. The same night, one of the guests was found dead in his locked room, and suspicion and threats started to follow them around.

To better protect Iantha, and solve the mystery of her attackers, Rob hurried their wedding. Now with an almost virgin bride, Rob wished he could convince her to trust him and let him love her.

The story of star crossed lovers will touch you in a different way than the usual desire resolved from the beginning of a tale. A sensitive soul encrusted in the ice of self control, Iantha must learn to trust before she can come to love her husband. The narrative is compelling and the adventures keep you spellbound.

Reviewed By: Raluca Popov

© July 2004