A humorous look at the Wars of the Roses through the adventures of Robbie, Bastard of Ovedale. Robbie is a warden of the East March of Scotland. Chasing Scottish raiders across the border is his life's work and his love. On one such jaunt, he goes after a youth who has wounded his friend, only to discover that the youth is a girl, Mary Margaret Douglas. His mortification is complete when she renders him immobile by the application of pressure to a sensitive spot. Once he has regained control of the situation, he realises that his best option is to keep the red-haired virago with him until he can ransom her back to her family. The problem is her brothers don't want her. That's just one of the problems. Another is that Robbie is beginning to like her, but worst of all is the question of what to do with her now. Robbie is summoned to war. He has to take the Scottish lass with him, but she is disruptive because she inspires men to lust, including the despicable Lord Clifton who wants her for himself - at least for a week or two - and will stop at nothing, including murder, to get what he wants. Robbie's father and his overlord, the Earl of Northumberland, want him to get rid of Mary, but it's too late for that. Although he doesn't know it, Robbie is falling in love.