With three ships sunk in one year by Napoléon’s navy, Richard Emberton is desperate to save his spice importation business.

While collecting his daughter from boarding school in England, George Hayward is on the lookout for a new exporter for his spice plantation in India.

With benefits to be reaped by both sides, Richard agrees to marry the plantation owner’s daughter.

Certain that her chance at love is being sold to the highest bidder, Grace Hayward feels little more than a slave and is determined she will never be happy again.

With such an inglorious beginning, can love flourish?