In the early hours of the battle for Waterloo, Alexander Harcourt, Duke of Harrowby is pinned under a dying horse and badly injured. The accident has left him scarred, in constant pain and with a pronounced limp.
Eliza Saxton is an Englishwoman from a good family who has learned the benefits of Swedish massage and medical calisthenics in Sweden at the famous Gymnasium.
The friend who saved Alexander's life after the accident sits on the board of the English hospital that rejected Eliza and her theories. Philip Fortescue, Marquess of Clavering, believes Eliza's skills will help Alexander. However, the duke refuses her help, reluctant to let anyone touch his devastated face and body, especially a woman.
He changes his mind when his ill-mannered cousin trashes the idea of further treatment. Incidentally, Derrick Peploe is his heir if he fails to produce a son.
As Alexander and Eliza embark on a journey of healing, they learn that friendly fire killed his horse. The discovery of who fired the fatal shot could endanger both their lives.