Beloved and sickly since childhood, Mary Danforth lends her pen to her siblings' courtships while accepting her own inevitable spinsterhood. When her brother returns home with a brooding, handsome captain in tow, Mary strikes up an unlikely friendship with the gentleman that makes her dare to dream of more.
Captain William Hayes has never thought to take a wife, not with his own fortunes as uncertain as they are. But seeing an admirable young lady unnecessarily give up on all her prospects might just be what it takes to make him want to sort out a better future, specifically one with her.
