Abigail dreams of a geological find that will bring her recognition, fortune, and the independence no one in her family or society believes a woman scholar can claim.
Then Robert, a handsome Irish newcomer, offers the rare gift of taking her work seriously, and they spend their days exploring the coves, rocks, and beaches of the Dorset coastline.
As friendship turns into a charged attraction, they uncover an ancient artifact that could change Abigail's future.
On the brink of leaving for London, she learns he may have had other reasons for seeking her out: he is after a criminal, and she is his prime suspect.
With spies and smugglers along the English shore, Abigail must decide whether the man who believed in her can be trusted once his secrets come to light.
