Despite the arranged marriages of her two sisters ending in misery, the Duke of Cumberworth insists that his beautiful daughter, Lady 'Ila' Lavinia marries the rich and aristocratic Marquis of Rakemoore, his most serious rival at Race Meetings.

Ila is appalled. Not only is she determined to marry for love, but she hears that the Marquis is only asking for her hand to avoid an arranged marriage to a German Princess. She decides to run away.

Fleeing through the woods near her home, Ila witnesses a young boy being dragged away by his spooked pony and heading towards a cliff edge. Rescuing the boy, Ila is knocked unconscious and wakes in a pretty cottage where she is being cared for by the young boy and his handsome uncle.

To her surprise, she realises the uncle is her betrothed, the Maquis and she deliberately refuses to give a name. Preferring instead to observe him from her sick bed. For the Marquis, the mystery woman is intriguing, stirring both his curiosity and perhaps even his heart.

Perfect for fans of Julia Quinn, Georgette Heyer and Jenny Hambly.



In her lifetime, British author Barbara Cartland wrote over 700 novels and was most famous for her contemporary and historical romances. A prominent figure in London society, the young Cartland began her writing career as a gossip columnist for the Daily Express. It was partying in 1920's London that gave her inspiration for her first book, 'Jigsaw', a racy society thriller.

After marrying into the McCorquodale family, she began writing romance and holds a Guinness World Record for the most number of books published in one year: 191. Her books have been translated into many different languages, as well as adapted for stage and screen. She is beloved the world over and even counts the young Princess Diana as one of her many fans.