Colonel Fitzwilliam travels from Pemberley to Dublin in pursuit of a woman who has sworn to never marry.  The Honorable Miss Catherine Carteret is plain looking, aloof, and wealthy; she uses these qualities to avoid suitors and focus on her passion for ancient languages, history, and antiquities. His arrival kindles the hopes of Viscount Dalrymple and family that she will relent and marry the eligible colonel.  To earn her favor, he embarks on a journey to uncover the history of an Irish pirate queen who met with Queen Elizabeth to negotiate the release of her son two centuries earlier.  He discovers secrets about the pirate queen and a long-lost English lover when he meets her descendant and is tasked with carrying a precious heirloom back to Catherine. He wins Catherine’s heart but loses it the next day when she changes her mind after confronting her own fears, insecurities, and the barriers she put in place to protect herself.  This novel is a testament to the power of love to transform lives and bring true happiness. 

Real Irish history is woven into this Austenesque novel with characters from Pride and Prejudice as well as Persuasion.