Set in the reign of King Henry VIII, the book tells the story of a family of northern England. Staunchly devoted to their king, they do not agree with his policies regarding the divorce of his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. After an announced visit to the north of England to examine the defenses against Scotland, the Earl of Wakefield fears his daughter may also be inspected as the fourth wife of the ailing king.He sets her on the road to Edinburgh to visit her great-aunt and she is beset by robbers on the road. Her rescuer is the Earl of Brodie, a potential suitor for Isabella Warrenton. But first, the family must make the couple notice one another and help along the course of true love.