Never thought to be particularly pretty, Englishwoman Katherine Winstead is flattered and overwhelmed by the attentions of the Russian Count Alexei Volsky and his sister Galena. When the count proposes marriage, Kate thinks her dreams have come true, and readily accepts. Isolated in the count's frozen Russian estate, Kate quickly learns she is pregnant with his child. The celebration is short-lived as Kate discovers with horror her part in an elaborate plot for an heir, and the true relationship between the count and his sister. Driven to flee in the Russian winter, Kate turns to the rakish Viscount Townsend, a family friend who has been hiding in Russia while contemplating his return to England. After bearing such a dark betrayal, will Kate's heart ever feel warmth again?