This novel started out a little rough for me because I was a taken aback by Rowland's inital treatment of Bridgette. But considering the horrible childhood Rowland had, it was a wonder he didn't behave even worse than he did. Really, it was a wonder he didn't just leave Bridgette to be stoned to death by her aunt at the beginning. Bridgette challenged Rowland from the start and tried several times to escape, but he wss never as brutal with her as I expected him to be in these instances. Rowland, who never before thought he'd desire marriage or having just one woman, becomes so attached to Bridgette that he can't imagine letting her go. This blinds him to the fact that she is actually a lady as she claims - instead of a servant. In fact, it takes a whole army to show up as his fief to believe she's the lady she's been claiming to be all along. Bridgette is able to forgive him for the pain he's caused her, over and over again. She is troubled by the truth of his childhood and aches for the little boy who knew no love. She even cares enough to help him discover his true identity and force him to face it down. When they are separated for months right before the conclusion, it seems that too much time has passed for Bridgette to forgive Rowland's absence. But Rowland risks imprisionment by Bridgette's brother to finally come after her a second time. Her anger towards him is so strong, she lies and says she feels nothing for him - but with the help of her brother she realizes she still loves him. The end of this novel is actually very beautiful.