Marianne Roland is a widow who has left behind her past including memories of an intemperate husband and the hardships of the American civil war. Now she enjoys the comforts her wealthy Uncle Killian bestows on all his family. As she watches others fall in love, she decides to find an amusing lover for herself but only for one enchanting night.Andre Claude Marceau, Duc de Remy and Prince d'Aumale, finds Marianne's joie de vivre enchanting -- and her plan for a temporary affair with him impossible.He offers her one night in his arms, and to his delight, she craves another. But he needs more from her than a few hours of bliss. So when he shows her how to fill her days with passions that complement those they enjoy together at night, Marianne must choose. Will she insist on a passing fancy? Or will she abandon the terrors of her past to embrace a brighter future beside a man who offers her a grand love affair with life?