Isabella Troy Stanley is a divorced, slave freeing pariah surviving in the shattered post Civil War south the only way a fallen debutante knows how. She heads to a Yankee prison and buys herself a husband.
Jack Byron is the former Troy plantation stable boy and object of young Bella's affection. He rejected her then, and he's still not sold on the idea of marrying her now. Sure, she's pretty, but he remembers too well how even a glance in her direction got a man of his standing ridden out of town with a semi-friendly warning. No, Jack's more sensible now, not to mention he might still be betrothed to another woman.
It's complicated.
Though to Bella, it's simple: make Jack love her, marry her, and live happily ever after. The plan seems to work...at least until her secret is revealed.