The Eternal Collection Series by Barbara Cartland

King Maximilian of Valdastien, handsome, clever but with a well deserved reputation as a ladies man, is under pressure from his Prime Minister to leave behind his bachelor ways, get married and produce an heir as soon as possible. Despite the fact that he vowed never to marry, with political unrest in Europe and encroaching danger from the Prussians, the King reluctantly decides to visit the surrounding countries to seek a suitable Queen... moreKing Maximilian of Valdastien, handsome, clever but with a well deserved reputation as a ladies man, is under pressure from his Prime Minister to leave behind his bachelor ways, get married and produce an heir as soon as possible. Despite the fact that he vowed never to marry, with political unrest in Europe and encroaching danger from the Prussians, the King reluctantly decides to visit the surrounding countries to seek a suitable Queen. Meanwhile, beautiful but tempestuous Princess Zita flies across the alpine countryside of neighbouring Aldross on her dazzling horse Pegasus. Full of a fire that matches the stunning flame red of her hair and sparkling with intelligence, Zita could not be more different to her elder sister, the placid and homely Princess Sophie. So when a visit by King Maximilian is heralded, their shrewd mother wastes no time in ordering Princess Zita to stay out of sight so that she cannot catch the King’s eye and ruin any matrimonial chances for her sister. Angry at being left out and curious to see a real King, especially one with such an intriguing reputation, Zita cooks up a cunning plan to disguise herself as a simple country girl. Enlisting the help of her secret friend Gretel, Zita is sure that the rest of her family will be far too busy preparing for the King’s visit to guess what she is scheming. But Fate has other things in store for Zita and, although her plans to catch a glimpse of their esteemed guest go to plan, she ends up getting much more than she bargained for.Dazzled by the charm and wit of the King and, sensing that she has found a kindred spirit, she is desperate that he should not find out her secret and discover who she really is.But if she is honest with herself, having met him once, she wishes that she could see him a good deal more. Torn between her feelings for the King and her sense of family duty it seems that the only course she can take is to make sure that their paths never cross again. less

The Duke of Brockenhurst, bored by Society and cynical about the beautiful women who cast themselves before him in a desperate bid to become his Duchess, accepts a wager to ride from London to York alone and incognito. Outraged by the suggestion that he has lost his verve and the command he once had whilst distinguishing himself in the Army, he decides to reflect on his future, whilst setting himself the challenge to move amongst ordinary people undetected... moreThe Duke of Brockenhurst, bored by Society and cynical about the beautiful women who cast themselves before him in a desperate bid to become his Duchess, accepts a wager to ride from London to York alone and incognito. Outraged by the suggestion that he has lost his verve and the command he once had whilst distinguishing himself in the Army, he decides to reflect on his future, whilst setting himself the challenge to move amongst ordinary people undetected. Valora Melford is bereaved of her beloved father and left in the care of her grasping stepmother. Determined to force her lovely stepdaughter to marry the dissolute Sir Mortimer, who is willing to pay ten thousand pounds for the pleasure, she first entreats and then threatens Valora to do as she is told. However, Valora is made of stronger stuff than her fragile exterior would suggest and she tells her stepmother in no uncertain terms that she will not marry the repulsive old Baronet. In fact Valora is adamant that she will never marry at all, as she does not believe that true love exists. Overhearing a distraught Valora arguing with her cruel stepmother in the room next to his, the Duke of Brockenhurst decides to step in and help the maiden that he can hear is clearly in distress. With his disguise unbroken, he decides to help her escape from the inn they are staying in and avoid an unwanted marriage. Immediately trusting the handsome stranger who offers to protect her until she reaches the shelter of her grandfather’s house in York, Valora packs her few possessions and they steal away together. But ten thousand pounds is a lot of money to lose and it does not take Valora’s stepmother long to realise that her stepdaughter has escaped. Outraged, she quickly dispatches two henchmen hell-bent on dragging Valora back to the altar. With her captors in hot pursuit, it appears that Valora’s escape is doomed and the Duke’s mask will be uncovered. Drawing ever closer, the Duke must use all of his Military skills and natural quick wits to keep them safe. With danger and trickery at every turn, Valora is forced to depend upon a man whose real name she does not even know. less

Horribly wounded after robbers murdered her dear father and left her for dead, the lovely young Atayla is alone and destitute in Morocco at the Tangiers Mission. So when her only friend, Father Ignatius, tells her of a French lady, the Comtesse de Soisson, who wishes to pay someone to escort her young daughter home to her estranged father, the Earl of Rothwell, she jumps at the opportunity... moreHorribly wounded after robbers murdered her dear father and left her for dead, the lovely young Atayla is alone and destitute in Morocco at the Tangiers Mission. So when her only friend, Father Ignatius, tells her of a French lady, the Comtesse de Soisson, who wishes to pay someone to escort her young daughter home to her estranged father, the Earl of Rothwell, she jumps at the opportunity. After a long and tiring journey, she arrives unannounced at Roth Castle with young Felicity and Atayla is dismayed by the violent unwelcoming reception she receives from the dashing but disdainful Earl, who assumes that she has some shady ulterior motive in coming to The Castle. Atayla is at the mercy of a man who hates her and soon it seems she is to be banished from The Castle and from the young girl she has come to care for. But then the Earl’s passions are inflamed in a terrible misunderstanding and his hate is suddenly transformed to an all-consuming love. less

Small and slight with fair hair the colour of Spring sunshine and china-blue eyes, young Tilda is dismayed that by command of Queen Victoria, because of her Royal connections, she is to marry the Prince of a distant country called Obernia. Not only has she never met the Prince, she does not want to marry him, as she wishes to marry for love one day and certainly not for political convenience... moreSmall and slight with fair hair the colour of Spring sunshine and china-blue eyes, young Tilda is dismayed that by command of Queen Victoria, because of her Royal connections, she is to marry the Prince of a distant country called Obernia. Not only has she never met the Prince, she does not want to marry him, as she wishes to marry for love one day and certainly not for political convenience. In Munich on her way to meet her Prince, Tilda insists on attending a rowdy Beer hall and becomes embroiled in a violent student riot. But luckily she is rescued by Rudolph, an impossibly handsome dashing stranger, who she had spied on when walking in the woods near King Ludwig’s beautiful Palace, the Linderhof. In their flight from the riots, he is shot by the Police and they take refuge in the home of Frau Sturdel, a local midwife, who helps Tilda to nurse the young man back to health. Soon Tilda has fallen head over heels in love with Rudolph – and he with her. But surely their love is doomed unless, somehow, she can extricate herself from her impending Royal mariage de convenance. less

While her father is away from home, the beautiful but lonely Ursa Hollington is surprised to receive a visit from Penelope, her sister, who has been such a stranger since she married a rich Nobleman and moved to London. Ursa is even more surprised when she hears Penelope’s request! So Penelope can meet her lover in a secret tryst while her husband, Lord Brackley is abroad, Ursa reluctantly agrees to pretend to be Penelope and stay with Lord Brackley’s blind mother, the Dowager Lady Brackley... moreWhile her father is away from home, the beautiful but lonely Ursa Hollington is surprised to receive a visit from Penelope, her sister, who has been such a stranger since she married a rich Nobleman and moved to London. Ursa is even more surprised when she hears Penelope’s request! So Penelope can meet her lover in a secret tryst while her husband, Lord Brackley is abroad, Ursa reluctantly agrees to pretend to be Penelope and stay with Lord Brackley’s blind mother, the Dowager Lady Brackley. Powdered and rouged just like her coquettish sister, Ursa is accepted at the imposing Brackley Park. But then the dashing Marquis of Charnwood embroils her in yet another deception, posing as his fiancée to save him from a loveless marriage to the daughter of a Greek he is doing business with. When the amorous Marquis appears at her bedside one night, Ursa is horrified, but soon finds the fluttering in her heart is not fear but love – Tangled in not one but two falsehoods, she can see no way out, until it comes to light that the Dowager Lady Brackley is far more perceptive that she thought! less

When her father, the Grand Duke, tells the lovely young Princess Tora of Radoslav that she is to marry the aged King of Salona, she is appalled and horrified. But no amount of pleading by her will change her father’s mind. So Tora decides that she must find a way to see her prospective husband without his being aware of her presence and then try to find a way to escape her awful Fate... moreWhen her father, the Grand Duke, tells the lovely young Princess Tora of Radoslav that she is to marry the aged King of Salona, she is appalled and horrified. But no amount of pleading by her will change her father’s mind. So Tora decides that she must find a way to see her prospective husband without his being aware of her presence and then try to find a way to escape her awful Fate. Since she is a talented musician, she has little difficulty in persuading her dear friend, Professor Lazar Srejovic, the nation’s greatest musician, to allow her to join his famous quartet for a concert at the King of Salona’s Palace. She devises a cunning plan to escape from the Palace of Radoslav, so that her father cannot stop her and joins up secretly with the Professor’s quartet to travel by carriage to Maglic, the Capital of Salona. But on arriving at an inn on the way disguised in peasant dress, she is terrified to unexpectantly overhear a sinister plot to murder and violently overthrow the King of Salona and seize his country by force. Her life is now in danger, but, when a dashing and handsome stranger comes to her rescue when she is hiding in a wood near the inn, she loses her heart to him utterly in a moment and just as quickly loses all hope that they can ever be together. And her future is sealed for ever with no hope of love and happiness. less

Alexander Colwyn er samtidens største ekspert på å restaurere malerier - en kunst han har lært seg for å kunne ta vare på sin egen samling. Men han er syk, og han og datteren, Fedora, er så fattige at de knapt har til livets opphold. De uvurderlige kunstskattene deres tilhører nemlig stamgodset, og kan derfor ikke røres. Da kommer det en dag bud fra jarlen av Heversham, som vil at Colwyn skal restaurere den berømte malerisamlingen hans... moreAlexander Colwyn er samtidens største ekspert på å restaurere malerier - en kunst han har lært seg for å kunne ta vare på sin egen samling. Men han er syk, og han og datteren, Fedora, er så fattige at de knapt har til livets opphold. De uvurderlige kunstskattene deres tilhører nemlig stamgodset, og kan derfor ikke røres. Da kommer det en dag bud fra jarlen av Heversham, som vil at Colwyn skal restaurere den berømte malerisamlingen hans. På Heversham slott oppdager imidlertid Fedora snart at jarlen tross sin rikdom er en ulykkelig mann, og hun beslutter å finne ut hva det er som står mellom henne og den mannen hun elsker.- less

Although her father is the acclaimed Music Hall performer, Keegan Kenway, his young daughter, Isla, who is ethereally beautiful, is never allowed even to go near the Music Halls, which were not deemed suitable places for a lady to be seen at... moreAlthough her father is the acclaimed Music Hall performer, Keegan Kenway, his young daughter, Isla, who is ethereally beautiful, is never allowed even to go near the Music Halls, which were not deemed suitable places for a lady to be seen at. Now that her mother is dead, her father is close to bankruptcy and so desperate for the proceeds of a benefit show that, when his co-star is taken ill, he is reluctantly forced to allow Isla to take her place for the evening and he sings his famous sons Champagne Charlie and It was only a dream. After a supremely successful performance when Isla and he are acclaimed by an enthusiastic audience, Keegan Kenway disappears to a late night party and Isla, declining the invitation, goes home alone, where the party’s host, Lord Polegate, arrives to inform her that her father has collapsed and is still unconscious. In her dismay and anxiety, Isla agrees to accompany the persistent Lord Polegate to his country house, where she gradually realises that his intentions are very much less than honourable and she flees his house in terror. Lost and alone, she flags down a passing carriage on the main road and, to her immense relief, she is saved by the handsome and kind Marquis of Longridge, whose superb house is nearby. And already Isla is falling in love – But is it real or is it only a dream? less

Arriving at an employment agency in the West End of London in search for some way to support herself and her beloved old Nanny after her father’s gambling debts have left her in penury, the beautiful young Carina is offered a very unusual post in which she must take charge young of a young boy, the son of one, Lady Lynche... moreArriving at an employment agency in the West End of London in search for some way to support herself and her beloved old Nanny after her father’s gambling debts have left her in penury, the beautiful young Carina is offered a very unusual post in which she must take charge young of a young boy, the son of one, Lady Lynche. On visiting her at her lodgings Carina is dismayed to find that Lady Lynche, an Oriental lady, is at death’s door and so is reluctantly persuaded to take her child, Dipa, to his father in the English countryside. Arriving at the vast and imposing Lynche Castle in the depths of Gloucestershire, however, she finds that the child is far from welcome and that Lord Lynche, although more handsome than any other man she has ever seen, is living a dissolute bachelor’s life with his disreputable friends, who only want to gamble day and night at cards. As well as the ghosts that apparently linger behind The Castle’s imperious walls, the place is haunted by a sense of shame and misery, for what Carina knows not, but she is determined to find out. Slowly the veils of secrecy and mystery are peeled away and the darkness is lit up with the fire of love. less

When her father, a famous archaeologist, died, he left young Zaria Mansford with little other than debt, poverty, the memory of his bullying and a useful knowledge of archaeology and Arabic. She is close to starvation from lack of money and there is nothing that could help her make her lonely way in the world. But then to her amazement she is informed by her father’s Solicitors that she has inherited her rich aunt’s fortune, including a sumptuous yacht, The Enchantress... moreWhen her father, a famous archaeologist, died, he left young Zaria Mansford with little other than debt, poverty, the memory of his bullying and a useful knowledge of archaeology and Arabic. She is close to starvation from lack of money and there is nothing that could help her make her lonely way in the world. But then to her amazement she is informed by her father’s Solicitors that she has inherited her rich aunt’s fortune, including a sumptuous yacht, The Enchantress. The yacht she is told has been chartered by a wealthy American for a voyage to Algeria and he needs an assistant with a knowledge of archaeology and Arabic as he intends to start excavating a Roman site close to the City of Algiers. Soon Zaria finds herself secretly taking the place of the young lady employed for the job and, after meeting in strange circumstances the handsome Chuck Tanner, who is in desperate need of her assistance and she then becomes embroiled in a maze of subterfuge and deceit. Before long Zaria realises that she has fallen deeply in love with Chuck and, caught between murderous gangsters, the Algerian Police and Arab rebels she fears for his life even more than for her own. less

21-åriga Skye Standish vill varken vara hustru eller husmor. Däremot söker hon äventyr, fara och frihet. Hon gör uppror mot sin rika brittiska bakgrund och den tröttsamma sociala världen i New York. Trots varningar om potentiella faror som lurar i Sydamerika reser hon långt in i landet. Där kidnappas hon av gerillaledaren El Diablo. Men snart håller han inte bara Skye fången, utan även hennes hjärta. Cartlands böcker äger rum i de finare engelska kretsarna och i exotiska miljöer... more21-åriga Skye Standish vill varken vara hustru eller husmor. Däremot söker hon äventyr, fara och frihet. Hon gör uppror mot sin rika brittiska bakgrund och den tröttsamma sociala världen i New York. Trots varningar om potentiella faror som lurar i Sydamerika reser hon långt in i landet. Där kidnappas hon av gerillaledaren El Diablo. Men snart håller han inte bara Skye fången, utan även hennes hjärta. Cartlands böcker äger rum i de finare engelska kretsarna och i exotiska miljöer. Kärleken är häftig mellan de passionerade hjältarna och vackra hjältinnorna, men gång på gång går de igenom prövningar. Men äkta kärlek är alltid starkast och det finns ingenting som den inte kan besegra. less

Horrified when her beloved dog, Rufus, is caught in a cruel snare while out walking in the estate of Arrow Castle, local Parson’s daughter Shenda is at first relieved when a handsome stranger comes to poor Rufus’s rescue and then at once she is abashed and confused when he claims a kiss – Shenda’s very first – as his reward. But then she is told that her father has been killed by a savage bull and that she must leave the family’s Vicarage forthwith... moreHorrified when her beloved dog, Rufus, is caught in a cruel snare while out walking in the estate of Arrow Castle, local Parson’s daughter Shenda is at first relieved when a handsome stranger comes to poor Rufus’s rescue and then at once she is abashed and confused when he claims a kiss – Shenda’s very first – as his reward. But then she is told that her father has been killed by a savage bull and that she must leave the family’s Vicarage forthwith. Penniless Shenda is obliged to take a job at Arrow Castle as a seamstress, where she stumbles across a letter from one of Napoleon Bonaparte’s spies to Society beauty Lucille Gratton, ‘the most beautiful Lady in England’, who is staying at The Castle. Reporting the discovery to the Earl, she finds that he is no other than her ‘gentleman stranger’ and just as she realises that she is falling in love with the heroic Earl of Arrow, she is embroiled in a counter-espionage plot that puts her young life – and her love for the Earl – in deadly peril. less

When dire financial straits force her brother Harry to sell the increasingly dilapidated family seat, Queen’s Hoo, Anthea Brooke, the beautiful daughter of the late Lord Colnbrooke, puts on a brave face. And she is delighted that Harry, under an assumed name, will take up the position of estate manager to the new owner and oversee the restoration of the ancient house while Harry, Anthea and their aged Nanny move to the much more compact Dower House... moreWhen dire financial straits force her brother Harry to sell the increasingly dilapidated family seat, Queen’s Hoo, Anthea Brooke, the beautiful daughter of the late Lord Colnbrooke, puts on a brave face. And she is delighted that Harry, under an assumed name, will take up the position of estate manager to the new owner and oversee the restoration of the ancient house while Harry, Anthea and their aged Nanny move to the much more compact Dower House. Anthea takes an instant dislike to the handsome but haughty, cynically womanising new owner, the Marquis of Eaglescliffe., known to everyone as ‘Eagle’ So when she is called upon to play the piano incognito for his rather disreputable house party she is daunted and apprehensive as her brother has warned her severely against even meeting the Marquis. But no sooner than she flees the Marquis’s unwanted attentions by escaping through a series of secret passages unknown to him, she overhears a sinister plot to kill him. Not just once, but twice and Anthea acts at once to save the Marquis’s life on both occasions. And slowly but surely their shared passion for music, in particular the piano, is transformed into a love that they will forever share. less

Called home from his Regiment in Calcutta after having inherited the title of the Third Duke of Invercaron on the death of his uncle, Talbot McCaron is dismayed to find not only that his highland estate is all but bankrupt but also that his family seems determined to marry him off to Lady Jane Dalbeth from the neighbouring Macbeth Clan. He soon understands the reason why, when he is informed that Lady Jane has inherited a vast fortune from her American Godmother... moreCalled home from his Regiment in Calcutta after having inherited the title of the Third Duke of Invercaron on the death of his uncle, Talbot McCaron is dismayed to find not only that his highland estate is all but bankrupt but also that his family seems determined to marry him off to Lady Jane Dalbeth from the neighbouring Macbeth Clan. He soon understands the reason why, when he is informed that Lady Jane has inherited a vast fortune from her American Godmother. Strolling in the grounds of his new domain, he comes across a thin half-starved yet bewitchingly beautiful young waif who appears intent on drowning herself in a torrential cascade he cannot understand. With some difficulty in persuading her not to commit suicide, the Duke takes Giovanna, for that is her name, secretly under his wing and patiently waits to hear the reason for her desperation and terror. What he eventually discovers is a Devilish Deception – an extraordinarily wicked plot – that almost defies belief and in the process of saving Giovanna he comes to realise that he has irrevocably and for ever lost his heart. less

It is almost impossible to believe, but it appears that the handsome young Italian Prince Antonio di Sogino has stolen an exquisite Florentine antique necklace from Jennie, the Marchioness of Kirkham, with whom he has enjoyed a brief dalliance on a visit to London. Distraught and terrified that her ageing husband will discover the loss of the necklace, she seeks help from her brother, Lord Mere, a military hero and a close confidant of Queen Victoria... moreIt is almost impossible to believe, but it appears that the handsome young Italian Prince Antonio di Sogino has stolen an exquisite Florentine antique necklace from Jennie, the Marchioness of Kirkham, with whom he has enjoyed a brief dalliance on a visit to London. Distraught and terrified that her ageing husband will discover the loss of the necklace, she seeks help from her brother, Lord Mere, a military hero and a close confidant of Queen Victoria. Determined to help his sister Lord Mere travels to Florence and uncovers a sinister blackmail plot by the ugly and depraved Prince Vincente Gorizia, trapping a young beauty named Florencia into an unholy marriage. Lord Mere is struck hard by this appalling injustice and smitten in a trice by Florencia’s ethereal Raphaelite beauty, as he has always admired and been enchanted by Raphael’s paintings of other worldly Madonnas. Heroically he proposes to challenge her persecutor and meticulously plans his campaign to rescue Florencia from a dreadful fate worse than death. And, as he finds his sister’s precious necklace, he realises that he has lost his heart. But can he and Florencia ever be free of the evil Prince, free to marry and be together forever? less

The letter from the beautiful and innocent Una Thoreau’s dissolute father seems urgent when it arrives at her Convent School in Florence, where she is being taught by very protective nuns.Since he abandoned his family and went to Paris to pursue a career as a painter she has barely seen him, so in response to his request that she join him, she departs immediately... moreThe letter from the beautiful and innocent Una Thoreau’s dissolute father seems urgent when it arrives at her Convent School in Florence, where she is being taught by very protective nuns.Since he abandoned his family and went to Paris to pursue a career as a painter she has barely seen him, so in response to his request that she join him, she departs immediately. On arriving in Paris she is horrified to find that her father has died in an accident, but she is not told that he was extremely drunk at the time. She is alone in the world – an innocent abroad in a fin de siècle City of sin. Alone that is until her father’s agent, the scheming Monsieur Philippe Dubucheron, takes her under his wing and introduces her to the handsome ladies man, the Duke of Wolstanton, who has just arrived to stay in his grand house in Paris in order to escape from an affaire-de-coeur in Londonthat has become too difficult for him to handle. The Duke at first assumes that Una’s naïvety and simple honesty are an affectation designed to prise money and jewels from his hands as so many women have done in his past. But, as her winsome ways and innocence win him over, he realises that he has lost his heart for the very first time in his life. less

With her mother ailing in the long absence of her father, Sir Terence Brantforde, who is abroad on a Top Secret Government mission, beautiful young Davina does not have enough money to buy the food her mother needs if she is to recover. So she seeks work with a family friend and Society fashion designer, Lucy Crofton... moreWith her mother ailing in the long absence of her father, Sir Terence Brantforde, who is abroad on a Top Secret Government mission, beautiful young Davina does not have enough money to buy the food her mother needs if she is to recover. So she seeks work with a family friend and Society fashion designer, Lucy Crofton. And is sent by Lucy to fit a new creation for the brash Lady Brant, which is a showpiece for the prestigious Marlborough House Ball, Davina is crushed to find that her Ladyship is indisposed and unable to attend. Worse still she has no intention of paying Lucy, who is counting on the dress’s public appearance to inspire more orders for her salon. In the heat of the moment Davina decides to take the daring step to go the Marlborough House Ball in Lady Brantforde’s place and in her dress and in an instant her life is changed forever. Posing as the widowed lady at the ball she meets the dashing and rakish Duke of Norminster, who sweeps her off her feet and urges her to attend another ball at his own magnificent and beautiful house in the country, Nore. There Davina meets Lady Lucille Hedley, the Duke’s current fancy, who sees her at once as a potential rival. When exploring the Duke’s mysterious maze in moonlight as she cannot sleep, Davina overhears a dastardly plot by Lady Lucille and her husband, who everyone thinks is dead, to blackmail the Duke for many thousands of pounds. How Davina manages to warn the Duke and is then threatened with death, but is rescued by the Duke and, despite her deep feeling of guilt at impersonating Lady Brant, finds true love is all told in this exciting romance by BARBARA CARTLAND. less

Falling ill with a bad cold, the beautiful young singer, Isa McNaver, leaves behind her busy London schedule of Concerts and heads for the Scottish Highlands where she grew up for a much needed rest. There she wanders the graceful moors and the breezy seashore contentedly, remembering her childhood and the local legends about long lost Clan treasure. Venturing into a deep dark cave she stumbles across a murderous plot by accident... moreFalling ill with a bad cold, the beautiful young singer, Isa McNaver, leaves behind her busy London schedule of Concerts and heads for the Scottish Highlands where she grew up for a much needed rest. There she wanders the graceful moors and the breezy seashore contentedly, remembering her childhood and the local legends about long lost Clan treasure. Venturing into a deep dark cave she stumbles across a murderous plot by accident. She overhears a gang of men, who have apparently discovered a map showing where the family treasure had been secreted near to the imposing Clan Castle to hide it from the marauding Vikings. They are even planning to murder the Duke to ensure that he does not get in their way. Isa’s duty is clear. She must warn the Duke of Strathnaver, the Chieftain of the Clan! And, although when she arrives at The Castle unannounced, the handsome Duke appears aloof and cynical, little does Isa know that he is entranced by her beauty. And just when he seems to have finally found the true love he has been seeking all his life, all seems lost when he and Isa are kidnapped by the dastardly plotters and left to die in a secret cave hidden by a cascade in the garden of The Castle. less

For demure young and beautiful Daniela Brooke it had been bad enough to find out that her much-loved late father, Lord Seabrooke, had been tricked into marriage by the use of drugs by a disreputable Parisian courtesan called Esmé Blanc... moreFor demure young and beautiful Daniela Brooke it had been bad enough to find out that her much-loved late father, Lord Seabrooke, had been tricked into marriage by the use of drugs by a disreputable Parisian courtesan called Esmé Blanc. It was even worse to discover just four weeks after her father’s death that her scheming stepmother is trying to arrange a marriage in the German spa resort of Baden-Baden between Daniela and her penniless lover for her own nefarious and greedy purposes, as Lord Seabrooke has left all his money and estates to Daniela and most definitely not to Esmé Blanc. Although guarded by day and night by her stepmother, in desperation Daniela manages to meet the Marquis of Crowle secretly in the garden of the Baden-Baden casino and begs him to help her escape as soon as possible from her perilous predicament. Overcome with sympathy at her story, the Marquis arranges to whisk her away from the Church at the very last minute before she is married and they sail off back to England in his magnificent yacht, The Sea Horse, down the River Rhine to freedom with Daniela’s wicked stepmother in hot pursuit. Will the distraught Daniela find the freedom she yearns for from her grasping stepmother? And even then can it be possible that she will ever find the sublime love that she has always dreamed about? less

Alone since the tragic death of her beloved parents, Indian-born beauty, Sita, has suffered a life of torment at the hands of her uncle, her reluctant Guardian, who despises, abuses and beats her. In despair on a voyage to Calcutta, she is on the verge of throwing herself overboard when she is saved by a handsome and mysterious stranger... moreAlone since the tragic death of her beloved parents, Indian-born beauty, Sita, has suffered a life of torment at the hands of her uncle, her reluctant Guardian, who despises, abuses and beats her. In despair on a voyage to Calcutta, she is on the verge of throwing herself overboard when she is saved by a handsome and mysterious stranger. Even after her saviour disappears, he seems ever-present in her thoughts and in the background of events as Sita is caught up in the political intrigue and turmoil surrounding the controversial Ilbert Bill, which aims to put Indian Judges back into the Indian Courts to sit in judgement not only on their compatriots but also on the British. Kidnapped by murderous men desperate to stop the Ilbert Bill, who say, “if your uncle wants you back, he will have to agree to kill it.” Sita is locked into a cold damp cell in an ancient Fort and is desperate to escape when she is rescued by her hero, who she has sent her thoughts to that she is in desperate danger. Her hero disappears and then she helps a mysterious stranger save the Nizam of Hyderabad from being killed by a dissident. She is then distraught that her uncle wants to return to England and she has had no contact from her hero and she does not even know his name. Sita can only pray that the thoughts of love she sends out so fervently will reach him and bring him to her rescue once more. less

Left penniless by the death of her beloved parents, shy, naïve and unassumingly lovely Gilda Wyngate is bemused when her glamorous but spoilt sister, Heloise, arrives unexpectedly at the family’s country Manor House full of talk about London’s Social world. And the good-looking and rich Marquis of Staverton, whom she is determined to ensnare in marriage so that she can fulfil her ambitions and become a Marchioness. Sadly it is not to be... moreLeft penniless by the death of her beloved parents, shy, naïve and unassumingly lovely Gilda Wyngate is bemused when her glamorous but spoilt sister, Heloise, arrives unexpectedly at the family’s country Manor House full of talk about London’s Social world. And the good-looking and rich Marquis of Staverton, whom she is determined to ensnare in marriage so that she can fulfil her ambitions and become a Marchioness. Sadly it is not to be. When poor Gilda finds her sister dead in the morning after taking too much laudanum to make her sleep, she sees a way out of the dreadful poverty she faces. She takes Helouise’s place, her glamorous London life and her home in Mayfair with her blind but generous Godmother, Lady Neyland. After all the two sisters had always looked remarkably alike. So who would ever notice? Little does she know that her kind heart will soon give her away. Little does she know that, in assuming her sister’s identity, she is also taking on a terrible crime, punishable by death or that the hateful Marquis, whom she has heard so much about, could be so overwhelmingly handsome and magnificent that he takes her breath away. Little does she realise that out of all her troubles true love will suddenly find her out of the blue and she will finally be enveloped in the happiness that has always eluded her. less

Strikingly handsome the Russian Prince Ivan Volkonski leaves a trail of broken hearts behind him wherever he goes. But, when his best friend, Lord Marston, takes him one evening to the famous Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, he witnesses a spellbinding dance performance of grace and spirituality that is to change his life forever... moreStrikingly handsome the Russian Prince Ivan Volkonski leaves a trail of broken hearts behind him wherever he goes. But, when his best friend, Lord Marston, takes him one evening to the famous Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, he witnesses a spellbinding dance performance of grace and spirituality that is to change his life forever. The dancer, a beautiful young woman known only as Lokita, mesmerises and enthrals him with her dancing and brings back emotional memories of his family that he had almost forgotten. And he is determined to see her again and make her his own. Frustrated to find that she will see no admirers in her dressing room at the theatre after her dancing, the Prince stages a ‘kidnapping’ to force her to meet him. Instantly Lokita and the Prince are in love and there is an electric magic between them and the Prince believes that Fate has brought them together and that they have loved each other in many previous lives so strong are their feelings for each other. But surely a commoner, no matter how beautiful and talented, cannot marry a Russian Prince? The Czar of Russia, an absolute dictator, would never allow it and anyway Lokita’s over-protective duenna and Guardian, the redoubtable Miss Anderson, is determined to keep Lokita as far away from the Prince and his advances as she possibly can. less

Still in mourning after the death of her father, Colonel Wallace, in a battle in India, the beautiful young Vina Wallace is astonished to receive news that not only had her heroic father saved the Maharajah of Kulhapur’s life, but also that the Maharajah has died and left jewels worth a small fortune to her dead father. And now, as her father’s only child, the jewels are hers... moreStill in mourning after the death of her father, Colonel Wallace, in a battle in India, the beautiful young Vina Wallace is astonished to receive news that not only had her heroic father saved the Maharajah of Kulhapur’s life, but also that the Maharajah has died and left jewels worth a small fortune to her dead father. And now, as her father’s only child, the jewels are hers. Vina is being looked after by her uncle and aunt and her aunt has grand ideas of shining in higher Society and being invited to parties at ancestral homes and by Queen Victoria to Windsor Castle. Unknown to Vina the news of her newly acquired fortune reaches the ears of the Duke of Quarington and his penniless brother Lord Edgar, who is desperate to find a way to repay his vast debts as the Duke is refusing to bail him out yet again. Fearing Vina will fall victim to fortune-hunters, her aunt and uncle plan to offer her hand in marriage to the dissolute Lord Edgar – an admirable solution to both families’ problems. The trouble is that Vina has vowed never to marry unless for love. Worse still she overhears the cynical Lord Edgar planning to marry Vina for her money and then to resume his life of debauchery and womanising! Is there no escape for Vina from a life without love? less

Waif-like beauty Elvina is tiny and immature after years of malnourishment and indeed she looks far younger than her seventeen years. Weak, however, she is not. Hardened by years of beatings and abuse at the hands of her half-crazed Portuguese stepmother and sickened by her father’s constant drunken behaviour, Elvina is determined to escape Lisbon and flee to her native England... moreWaif-like beauty Elvina is tiny and immature after years of malnourishment and indeed she looks far younger than her seventeen years. Weak, however, she is not. Hardened by years of beatings and abuse at the hands of her half-crazed Portuguese stepmother and sickened by her father’s constant drunken behaviour, Elvina is determined to escape Lisbon and flee to her native England. Despite the dangers of the Napoleonic War, which is raging in Spain and Portugal, she dyes her skin to make herself look Portuguese and stows away aboard the yacht of the handsome and heroic Lord Wye, bound for London with urgent dispatches from the Duke of Wellington to the Prime Minister. When she is discovered on board, the kindly Lord Wye believes her story that she is a thirteen-year-old fleeing the War to join her English sister and takes pity on her. He agrees that he will take her to England in his yacht, but first he must call in to Spain for more intelligence to show the Prime Minister and the weather suddenly becomes increasing tempestuous. And amid a terrible storm at sea and captured by the French only to fight their way free, a deep friendship under fire is kindled between Elvina and Lord Wye and soon becomes an all-consuming love when they arrive back in England. And then other dangers to their love for each other begin to emerge. less

Ceylon born and bred, yet English through and though thanks to their stern father, who is the local Vicar, beautiful young Dominica Radford and her five sisters are excited when one Sunday a very handsome English gentleman comes calling on their father in their rundown Vicarage in Colombo... moreCeylon born and bred, yet English through and though thanks to their stern father, who is the local Vicar, beautiful young Dominica Radford and her five sisters are excited when one Sunday a very handsome English gentleman comes calling on their father in their rundown Vicarage in Colombo. But excitement turns to shock when Lord Hawkston out of the blue asks for Dominica’s hand in marriage for his twenty-four year old nephew Gerald Warren, who is running Lord Hawkston’s estate in Northern Ceylon. Having discovered that Gerald, recently spurned by a previous fiancée, is drinking heavily, letting the Hawkston tea estate go to wrack and ruin and treating his native lover cruelly, Lord Hawkston is desperate to see him married and settled and so sees the intelligent and sensible Dominica as the perfect bride for him. Overwhelmed by his Lordship’s generosity in giving her a glorious trousseau of pretty clothes, Dominica initially agrees, but soon she realises not only that she does not love Gerald she is repelled by him and the ugliness and coarseness he brings to the new Garden of Eden where she now finds herself. Nevertheless the lovely Dominica is happier than she has ever been in her entire life. And the reason suddenly comes to her in a blinding light. She is in love with Lord Hawkston! less

Socialite and ‘professional beauty’, Lady Odele Ashford, is taken aback when her lover, the notorious womaniser Prince Ivan Katinouski, asks her to find him a young bride, who will give him the children he has always wanted, specifying that she must be pure and innocent and of noble English birth. At first she thinks that this will surely interfere with her own intimate relationship with the handsome and immensely rich Prince. But then inspiration strikes... moreSocialite and ‘professional beauty’, Lady Odele Ashford, is taken aback when her lover, the notorious womaniser Prince Ivan Katinouski, asks her to find him a young bride, who will give him the children he has always wanted, specifying that she must be pure and innocent and of noble English birth. At first she thinks that this will surely interfere with her own intimate relationship with the handsome and immensely rich Prince. But then inspiration strikes. Her own innocent eighteen-year-old niece, the blonde, blue-eyed and beautiful Charlotte Storr is the perfect match! When Lady Storr receives a letter demanding that Charlotte is to attend a ball at his huge Castle to meet her unwanted suitor, young Charlotte is horror-stricken because her heart already belongs to Honourable Shane O’Derry, an impoverished Irish aristocrat. Desperate to distract the attention of the Prince, Charlotte’s brother Richard and Shane recruit another young beauty, a music teacher’s daughter, Alana, to pose as a young Noblewoman in the hope of distracting the Prince away from Charlotte. Alana is an ethereal and almost mystical beauty, who is an exceptional musician like her father. Reluctantly entangled in a web of intrigue Alana is at first repelled by the playboy Prince, yet finds herself drawn by some strange magical Power in his possession. less

The lovely Sacha Waverley, the daughter of an impoverished country Vicar, who is a brilliant Greek scholar, is almost as beautiful if in a very demure way as her cousin, Lady Deirdre Lang, who is much more sophisticated and worldly. So when Deirdre visits her at the Vicarage with a very strange request, Sacha finds herself perplexed by her domineering and demanding cousin. For Deidre has fallen in love with Lord Gerrard and is desperate to join him at his house party... moreThe lovely Sacha Waverley, the daughter of an impoverished country Vicar, who is a brilliant Greek scholar, is almost as beautiful if in a very demure way as her cousin, Lady Deirdre Lang, who is much more sophisticated and worldly. So when Deirdre visits her at the Vicarage with a very strange request, Sacha finds herself perplexed by her domineering and demanding cousin. For Deidre has fallen in love with Lord Gerrard and is desperate to join him at his house party. The trouble is that she is already secretly engaged to the Duke of Silchester as she longs to be a Duchess and he is very rich and influential. Worse still the Duke has been injured in a terrible accident in a gun trap that has left him temporarily blind. And it is clearly Deirdre’s duty to go to him at his Scottish Castle to comfort and cheer him up as he has requested her to do. Instead Deirdre persuades Sacha to take her place as they are so alike and, although terrified of being exposed as an imposter, she is warmly greeted when she arrives in Scotland as Deidre and does so with aplomb. Inspired by her beautiful surroundings of lochs and moorlands she heartens the ailing but handsome Duke and soon she is in love. And he with her. But she is filled with dread of the moment that he regains his sight and can see that she is not who she claims to be! less

Since her mother’s death, the beautiful but innocent Linetta Falaise has led a sheltered life under the wing of her kindly French Governess. So she is heartbroken to find that her beloved Mademoiselle is at death’s door and that she, Linetta, had unknowingly been living off her meagre savings for the last two years... moreSince her mother’s death, the beautiful but innocent Linetta Falaise has led a sheltered life under the wing of her kindly French Governess. So she is heartbroken to find that her beloved Mademoiselle is at death’s door and that she, Linetta, had unknowingly been living off her meagre savings for the last two years. As she now has no money, there is no alternative but for Linetta to travel to Paris and ask Mademoiselle’s niece, Marie-Ernestine, to help her find suitable employment, perhaps teaching English to French children. Almost as soon as she boards the cross-channel Steamer heading for Calais, her innocent eyes are opened to the wicked ways of the world when a strange man’s unwanted and frightening attentions drive her to seek the protection of a handsome and noble stranger, the Marquis of Darleston, who is travelling to Paris on a secret mission for the British Prime Minister. After they part company, Linetta is introduced to the heady glamour of Paris Society by the glamorous Marie-Ernestine, who is really the celebrated and infamous Blanche d’Antigney. Linetta is appalled by Les Grandes Cocottes, who sell love to the highest bidder, especially since she is expected to join them because she is so young and enchanting. Afraid, alone and beset by lecherous ‘gentlemen’, Linetta remembers the handsome distinguished Marquis she met on the Steamer and prays fervently that he will come to her rescue yet again. less

Freshly home from her Finishing School in Florence, the beautiful young Lady Odela Ford finds to her dismay that her new stepmother, the Countess of Shalford, is scheming against her and her beloved father. Odela’s mother, who she adored, has died and her father has married again rather too quickly. To her horror and mystification she overhears one day her stepmother ordering her lover, the Viscount More, to marry Odela – for her money as he has very little himself... moreFreshly home from her Finishing School in Florence, the beautiful young Lady Odela Ford finds to her dismay that her new stepmother, the Countess of Shalford, is scheming against her and her beloved father. Odela’s mother, who she adored, has died and her father has married again rather too quickly. To her horror and mystification she overhears one day her stepmother ordering her lover, the Viscount More, to marry Odela – for her money as he has very little himself. This is the first that Odela hears of the American oil shares that her late mother left her, which have now accumulated into a vast fortune. Unwilling to tell her father that he is being betrayed by his wife, Odela seeks refuge with her old Nanny at the country house of the Marquis of Trancombe. Almost straight away there is an undeniable and irresistible attraction between her and the handsome Marquis. But no sooner has she found safety than new danger appears in the form of a ruthless thief and she finds herself, together with the Marquis, imprisoned under threat of death. Will she and her hero die ignominiously before their love can be awakened? less

The beautiful widowed mother, Lady Susi Sherington, faces a terrible dilemma when she has been staying in Paris and attending endless smart parties. She finds herself deeply in love with the dashing, Jean, the Comte de Girone, but her friend, the Duchesse Lorraine d’Aubergue, insists that she must shun him because ‘he is a heartbreaker’. What is more the Comte needs a bride rich enough to support his family’s beautiful Château Girone, the most imposing in Provence and the real love of his life... moreThe beautiful widowed mother, Lady Susi Sherington, faces a terrible dilemma when she has been staying in Paris and attending endless smart parties. She finds herself deeply in love with the dashing, Jean, the Comte de Girone, but her friend, the Duchesse Lorraine d’Aubergue, insists that she must shun him because ‘he is a heartbreaker’. What is more the Comte needs a bride rich enough to support his family’s beautiful Château Girone, the most imposing in Provence and the real love of his life. And thanks to the punitive will of her late and much older husband Susi would enter any new marriage penniless, but would be very rich if she remained single. And then there is her beautiful daughter, Trina, to consider, soon to come of age and everyone says that she is so like her mother that they could be twins! Sadly despite Jean’s constant protestations of love, Susi must try to think of their liaison as just a mere flirtation. But then Trina is stuck by a cunning idea, one that just might provide the Comte with the money he needs until she comes into her late father’s inheritance and can share her wealth with the mother. Perhaps after all Susi can follow the path of her heart’s desire! less

Demure but pretty Prunella Broughton has long felt responsible for her lovely younger sister, Nanette, since their mother ran away with a lover and then, not long later, their beloved father had died. As an heiress and a debutante as well as an outstanding beauty Nanette is already attracting much male attention and she is greatly admired wherever she goes. But it is Pascoe Lowes that Prunella is most concerned about... moreDemure but pretty Prunella Broughton has long felt responsible for her lovely younger sister, Nanette, since their mother ran away with a lover and then, not long later, their beloved father had died. As an heiress and a debutante as well as an outstanding beauty Nanette is already attracting much male attention and she is greatly admired wherever she goes. But it is Pascoe Lowes that Prunella is most concerned about. Spoilt, dandified, vain and ‘far too good-looking for any young girl’s peace of mind’, this penniless fortune-hunter has declared himself in love with Nanette! To make matters worse the new sixth Earl of Winslow arrives unexpectedly to take his place at his long-neglected Baronial Hall, a gentleman of whom Prunella deeply disapproves for his wild raffish reputation and the fact that he is Pascoe’s somewhat indulgent uncle. Her argument that the love between Nanette and Pascoe must be stopped as soon as possible before it becomes intense gets short shrift from the Earl. Indeed he argues that love, such as that which led her mother to leave, cannot be denied or ridiculed. Prudish Prunella refuses to believe that such an unruly uncontrollable love can ever exist until the prodigal Earl’s stolen kiss changes everything for her for ever. less

Orina Vandeholt is young and beautiful and, after the death of her very successful and much-loved millionaire American father, she finds herself extremely rich. To escape her grief, she decides to travel on her father’s new modern yacht to the Gulf of Mexico and one day stops off at a small town called Sadaro. There Orina is invited by two local boys to go riding with them on fine Mexican horses and, when she agrees to their suggestion, a wild adventure begins... moreOrina Vandeholt is young and beautiful and, after the death of her very successful and much-loved millionaire American father, she finds herself extremely rich. To escape her grief, she decides to travel on her father’s new modern yacht to the Gulf of Mexico and one day stops off at a small town called Sadaro. There Orina is invited by two local boys to go riding with them on fine Mexican horses and, when she agrees to their suggestion, a wild adventure begins. After being knocked out with a drugged cup of coffee, she finds that she has been duped. The boys have kidnapped her on the orders of their leader — a handsome charismatic man the people have named ‘Juarez’ after an old Mexican hero. But it is not ransom he seeks for Orina, as she suspects. He desperately needs her money to build a dam that will end a long harsh drought and save the lives of his many starving people. And to obtain that large sum of money, he intends to marry Orina! Orina is furious, but there is nothing that she can do about as she is now his prisoner. However very soon the plight of Juarez’s people melts her heart as well as the children’s hungry faces. When at last the water flows profusely from the dam and Juarez is about to set her free, she realises that he has become the captor of her heart! less

Dashing Selby Harle, Lord Harlestone, has a reputation in London as a ‘ladies man’ and at the instigation of the influential Princess of Wales is all but blackmailed into marrying a Society beauty he does not like let alone love. And so he decides to escape to America, where he has invested some of his fortune in cattle ranching... moreDashing Selby Harle, Lord Harlestone, has a reputation in London as a ‘ladies man’ and at the instigation of the influential Princess of Wales is all but blackmailed into marrying a Society beauty he does not like let alone love. And so he decides to escape to America, where he has invested some of his fortune in cattle ranching. In the wilds of Colorado, where the gold and minerals rush is at fever pitch, even this man of the world is shocked by the brazen houses of pleasure in Denver where ‘madams’ shamelessly ply their trade. He is even more appalled when a gang of rough cowboys arrive at one such house with a helpless young waif offering her for sale, who has just lost her mother and father to the Red Indians. The girl’s name, they say, is Nelda Harle. Could this be the daughter of his estranged cousin, ‘Handsome Harry’, a notorious gambler and ‘card sharp’? Selby feels duty bound to ‘purchase’ the girl for her own protection and proposes to send her safely home to England as soon as he returns to New York from his associate’s Denver Ranch. Nelda turns out to be a glorious beauty of eighteen and even more stunning when dressed in fashionable gowns. Fate and love intervene when Arapaho Indians attack the wagon train she is travelling in and Nelda bravely saves Lord Harlestone’s life. And he comes to realise that there is so much more to this young beauty than meets the eye. less

When a strange Priest calls to inform him that his young and very beautiful Ward, Zia Langley, whom he has never troubled to meet, wants to be a nun and asks for his permission, the dashing and handsome Marquis of Okehampton is irritated at this distraction from his wild love life. The Marquis is particularly involved with Yasmin Caton, the enchantingly lovely wife of a distinguished Peer, who is much older than her and is believed to be close to death... moreWhen a strange Priest calls to inform him that his young and very beautiful Ward, Zia Langley, whom he has never troubled to meet, wants to be a nun and asks for his permission, the dashing and handsome Marquis of Okehampton is irritated at this distraction from his wild love life. The Marquis is particularly involved with Yasmin Caton, the enchantingly lovely wife of a distinguished Peer, who is much older than her and is believed to be close to death. She is determined to marry the Marquis when her husband does die and uses every wile she can think of to force him up the aisle. And when the strange Priest demands the transfer to the Convent of all Zia’s worldly goods and, knowing that Zia has inherited a vast fortune, the Marquis smells a rat. Insisting on visiting this Convent to meet his Ward, he travels to Cornwall in his magnificent yacht. He is introduced to a very ugly young woman, whom he realises is an imposter, before whisking away the real Zia Langley to his Park Lane mansion in London. But just as the Marquis discovers the real Zia’s stunning beauty and realises that he is falling in love, the evil Priest kidnaps her and is demanding an impossible sum for her release. Can the Marquis save his Ward and their very special love in time? less

The handsome Earl of Ardwick is smarting from the pain of discovering that his fiancée, the spectacularly beautiful but social-climbing Heloise Brook, is forsaking him for a Duke when he is halted on the road by a nasty carriage accident. There he finds beautiful young Lupita Lang and her six-year-old brother, Jerry, who are running away from home. After the recent death of their father, Jerry has now become the Earl of Langwood... moreThe handsome Earl of Ardwick is smarting from the pain of discovering that his fiancée, the spectacularly beautiful but social-climbing Heloise Brook, is forsaking him for a Duke when he is halted on the road by a nasty carriage accident. There he finds beautiful young Lupita Lang and her six-year-old brother, Jerry, who are running away from home. After the recent death of their father, Jerry has now become the Earl of Langwood.Realising that he used to know their father well, he then takes them to the safety of his Grosvenor Square house where suddenly he sees Lupita in a new light. With her fair hair and blue eyes she is the most beautiful girl he had ever seen and, as she tells him that their wicked Cousin Rufus is bent on murdering young Jerry in order to inherit his title, a cunning idea then comes to the Earl, a way to protect the young siblings from their grasping cousin and also to wreak revenge on the equally title-hungry Heloise.After Lupita next appears on his arm dressed up as Cleopatra at the famed Devonshire House Fancy Dress Ball, to Heloise’s fury the Earl finds Lupita’s innocent allure increasingly impossible to resist and, although she does not know it, her heart is already his. But surely their love is lost before it has any chance with Cousin Rufus still determined to end his young cousins’ lives and seize the title and estate that he so desperately covets. less

Handsome and dashing, the Marquis of Melsonby finds himself bored by the attentions of Society beauties, especially those of the undeniably beautiful and irritatingly ardent, Lady Karen Russell, who is trying to blackmail him into marriage.Then, as he is caught in a fierce snowstorm and stuck for the night at a lowly wayside inn, Fate puts in his way a lovely young waif called ‘Perdita Lydford’, who throws herself on his mercy... moreHandsome and dashing, the Marquis of Melsonby finds himself bored by the attentions of Society beauties, especially those of the undeniably beautiful and irritatingly ardent, Lady Karen Russell, who is trying to blackmail him into marriage.Then, as he is caught in a fierce snowstorm and stuck for the night at a lowly wayside inn, Fate puts in his way a lovely young waif called ‘Perdita Lydford’, who throws herself on his mercy. She is on the run from her cruel would-be ‘Guardian’, Sir Gerbold Whitton, and with good reason. Not only does he beat her sadistically, he is totally bent on marrying her and her sizeable inheritance by force to pay for his large debts.Since they are both in the same boat, the Marquis and Perdita then begin their daring deception and dupe their respective pursuers with a fake marriage that appears on the surface to be legal.But Sir Gerbold is not so easily daunted and he tries again to abduct Perdita. Escaping on the Marquis’s yacht to Morocco, poor Perdita is imperilled once more, ‘out of the frying pan and into the fire’, of a lecherous and murderous Sultan and his Harem, where she prays that love in the form of the Marquis can save her life and her virtue yet again. less

Things had been bad enough for the inspiring and beautiful young Helga Wensley when her much-loved father died some five years ago, leaving her and her mother in penury.Recently her ailing mother too has passed away, which means that her stepfather, Sir Hector Preston, is now her Guardian. To make matters worse he promises her hand in marriage to a cruel and uncouth man called Bernard Howell, a Fate that she considers worse than dying... moreThings had been bad enough for the inspiring and beautiful young Helga Wensley when her much-loved father died some five years ago, leaving her and her mother in penury.Recently her ailing mother too has passed away, which means that her stepfather, Sir Hector Preston, is now her Guardian. To make matters worse he promises her hand in marriage to a cruel and uncouth man called Bernard Howell, a Fate that she considers worse than dying.As her mother suggested soon before her death, Helga goes for help to her estranged Aunt Millicent, a glamorous actress from the notorious Gaiety Theatre – and her life changes forever.Putting herself forward for a ‘role’ paying her one thousand pounds in which she pretends to be the fiancée of the dashing Hugo, Duke of Rocklington, Helga finds herself with the most sought-after bachelor in the whole of the Social world at his fabulous country seat, Rock Castle.And, despite Aunt Millicent’s firm instructions not to fall in love with the Duke, Helga is smitten and finds that playing the part of the lovestruck fiancée requires no acting at all.But all that changes when by chance Helga again meets the dreaded Bernard Howell, who pursues her brandishing his horse whip and she races back to Rock Castle to the Duke to save her – less

Beautiful young Valencia Hadley lives a quietly contented life as the daughter of the Chaplin to the estate of Dolphin Priory.And she loves the Big House as much as the pretty little house by the Chapel where she and her father have lived since she was a little girl.Since Hue, the Earl of Dolphinston, spends all his time with the Beau Monde in London, Valencia enjoys the run of the big house, so when the Earl finally arrives with a retinue of Society types, she is a little dismayed... moreBeautiful young Valencia Hadley lives a quietly contented life as the daughter of the Chaplin to the estate of Dolphin Priory.And she loves the Big House as much as the pretty little house by the Chapel where she and her father have lived since she was a little girl.Since Hue, the Earl of Dolphinston, spends all his time with the Beau Monde in London, Valencia enjoys the run of the big house, so when the Earl finally arrives with a retinue of Society types, she is a little dismayed.She is even more dismayed when she overhears the glamorous beauty Lady Hester Stansfield and her brother Edward Ward in the Chapel plotting to drug the Earl and to dupe her father into marrying him to Hester so that they can get their greedy hands on The Priory and the family riches.Enlisting the help of Ben, a strong estate worker, Valencia spirits away the drugged and unconscious Earl and hides him in an ancient Priest’s Hole behind the Altar of the Chapel.Next a desperate Edward tries to force the Earl to marry Hester at gunpoint – and again he is foiled by Valencia’s brave intervention.There is only one way now for the Earl to rid himself of Lady Hester for good is to marry Valencia!By now Valencia has realised that she is passionately in love with him.But how can she possibly marry him if he does not love her too? less

Man about town and something of a ‘ladies’ man’ the new Earl of Rockbrook has given little thought to a liaison at Windsor Castle in which one of the Queen’s Ladies-in-Waiting, Lady Louise Welwyn, appears suddenly in his bedroom in the middle of the night.So he is appalled when he learns that Lady Louise’s formidable mother expects him to marry her... moreMan about town and something of a ‘ladies’ man’ the new Earl of Rockbrook has given little thought to a liaison at Windsor Castle in which one of the Queen’s Ladies-in-Waiting, Lady Louise Welwyn, appears suddenly in his bedroom in the middle of the night.So he is appalled when he learns that Lady Louise’s formidable mother expects him to marry her. Her motivation is clear, although penniless at the time, he has since unexpectedly inherited the title of his family’s Earldom and the huge estate of Rock Castle after his uncle’s and cousin’s death in a train crash.He realises that he could never be happy with Lady Louise and so he flees her and London for the safety of the countryside where he breaks his collarbone in a riding accident and is knocked unconscious.When he awakens, he finds that he is being nursed by a lovely country girl called ‘Purilla’.She is beautiful, demure and intelligent – in fact everything he ever wanted in a wife, so he persuades her to save him by marrying him at once.Purilla has already fallen deeply in love with the handsome Earl – but how can she turn a marriage of his convenience into one of true love? less

Som diplomatdatter ved Paulina Handley, at ægteskaber mellem kongelige og borgerlige personer er udelukket. Men er hendes og prins Maximus' kærlighed til hinanden så dødsdømt? Skal de sige farvel for aldrig at mødes mere? Eller vil han være parat til at give afkald på sine rettigheder som sin faders efterfølger og stille sig tilfreds med at leve som en almindelig borger sammen med Paulina i det hertugdømme, han elsker?

After centuries of violence between the feuding McBrara and MacSteel Clans in the Scottish Highlands, a fragile peace is about to break into a new war when one of the MacSteels’ shepherds is murdered allegedly by the McBraras.In a desperate attempt to avoid further bloodshed before the imminent visit of the English King George IV, the Laird of the MacSteels proposes that they unite the Clans with a marriage and the Earl of Braradale agrees somewhat reluctantly... moreAfter centuries of violence between the feuding McBrara and MacSteel Clans in the Scottish Highlands, a fragile peace is about to break into a new war when one of the MacSteels’ shepherds is murdered allegedly by the McBraras.In a desperate attempt to avoid further bloodshed before the imminent visit of the English King George IV, the Laird of the MacSteels proposes that they unite the Clans with a marriage and the Earl of Braradale agrees somewhat reluctantly.And so the Laird’s daughter, the elfin young beauty, Fyna, is obliged to marry a man she has never even met – the Earl of Braradale himself.Thus they are both ready to enter into a loveless marriage to save their Clans from further bloodletting and strife.For his part the Earl is dreading the marriage, imagining that she will be ‘pious and heavily built’, while for her part Fyna too dreads a loveless union with a man she does not love and who will look down at her as his inferior.As the two Clans celebrate their Wedding, the reluctant bride and groom begin to become acquainted and from the start both are pleasantly surprised to find that they have much in common, notably that they are both fey as many Scots are and can sense each other’s thoughts and moods.But it is only when the life of her new husband is imperilled by her murderous cousin, Hamish, that Fyna suddenly realises that she has fallen deeply in love. less

The Bargain Bride is the thrilling tale of beautiful young Aleda, who is brought through no fault of her own from riches to the brink of ruin… Of her dashing but irresponsible brother the Earl of Blakeney whose profligacy has brought him perilously close to debtors’ gaol… Of fabulously wealthy Social climber Doran Winton, who cynically buys the unwilling Aleda’s hand in marriage along with her brother’s debt to rescue them from penury… And of a sinister Chinese cabal who slip from the shadows... moreThe Bargain Bride is the thrilling tale of beautiful young Aleda, who is brought through no fault of her own from riches to the brink of ruin… Of her dashing but irresponsible brother the Earl of Blakeney whose profligacy has brought him perilously close to debtors’ gaol… Of fabulously wealthy Social climber Doran Winton, who cynically buys the unwilling Aleda’s hand in marriage along with her brother’s debt to rescue them from penury… And of a sinister Chinese cabal who slip from the shadows of London’s Dockland opium dens to kidnap Aleda at knifepoint, perhaps to face ‘death by a thousand cuts’ … Only now, with her life at stake, does she realise that the hate in her heart has turned to love. less

The young Earl of Blakeney is bankrupt. Back in England after serving bravely in the Duke of Wellington's army, he has lost everything at the gaming tables. At Blake Hall, the family house, he warns his sister Lady Aleda of the disastrous turn of events. Already the house has been stripped of paintings, silver and most of the furnishings. Then, quite unexpectedly, the mysterious Mr Winton offers to buy everything at a generous price, but only on condition that Aleda marries him... moreThe young Earl of Blakeney is bankrupt. Back in England after serving bravely in the Duke of Wellington's army, he has lost everything at the gaming tables. At Blake Hall, the family house, he warns his sister Lady Aleda of the disastrous turn of events. Already the house has been stripped of paintings, silver and most of the furnishings. Then, quite unexpectedly, the mysterious Mr Winton offers to buy everything at a generous price, but only on condition that Aleda marries him. She is horrified but in order to save her brother, agrees. Can love begin to light up her life. . . less

Talbot Marsham always found himself welcomed at Society's grandest soirees . . . despite his lack of funds. Through a quirk of fate, Marsham comes into an earldom, but he must travel to Scotland to claim it. There he finds sweet love with the noble beauty charged with teaching him the ways of his new home.

Sunny Naples is dark in the shadow of death as typhoid decimates its people, including the father lovely young Forella Claye adored with all her heart… Fleeing for her life, she arrives, forlorn, at her aunt and uncle’s London house. Horrified to find they mean to offload her in marriage by hook or by crook, she flees again… this time on a horse from the stable of the impossibly handsome Hungarian Prince János Kovác... moreSunny Naples is dark in the shadow of death as typhoid decimates its people, including the father lovely young Forella Claye adored with all her heart… Fleeing for her life, she arrives, forlorn, at her aunt and uncle’s London house. Horrified to find they mean to offload her in marriage by hook or by crook, she flees again… this time on a horse from the stable of the impossibly handsome Hungarian Prince János Kovác. With the Prince hot on her heels, she gallops to faster and faster to freedom – until finally Forella is captured… And so is her heart. less

An innocent eighteen-year-old English Beauty Aldrina becomes reluctant Queen of the sun-kissed Aegean land of Saria after an arranged marriage to a dying King… Now her husband’s dead, an evil, depraved Prince lusts relentlessly after her Throne – and her body…Fleeing to an isolated “Fairytale Palace” by the sea, she meets a Greek God in human form as she helps him haul his boat ashore. And this impossibly handsome stranger – the Apollo to Aldrina’s Aphrodite – changes her life forever…

It was dark in the coach and the flickering taper in the lantern seemed to accentuate rather than relieve the gloom as the wheels rolled and bumped over the rutted, stony road. The moon, however, was rising up the sky and after a while Panthea thought that she could see only too clearly the face of the man sitting beside her... moreIt was dark in the coach and the flickering taper in the lantern seemed to accentuate rather than relieve the gloom as the wheels rolled and bumped over the rutted, stony road. The moon, however, was rising up the sky and after a while Panthea thought that she could see only too clearly the face of the man sitting beside her. He had taken off his broad-brimmed hat and was leaning back against the well-cushioned seat as if at his ease, but she was well aware that his eyes were turned con-stantly in her direction. She made herself as small as she could, so that she appeared to crouch in the comer of the seat making believe with a hopeless hopefulness that she was so tiny and insignificant that she might even be overlooked. She even prayed that the darkness might deepen and hide her completely. He was watching her She could see the sharp outline of his hooked, nose turned away from her, and yet she knew that his eyes searched for hers. There was no need for the moonlight or the guttering candle to reveal to her the lines of his face. She knew the features too well—the tight, cruel, yet sensuous mouth; the square jaw which had a look of brutality; the bushy, long-haired eyebrows which mounted gua^ over suspicious, glittering eyes which seemed to miss nothing! Yes, she knew his face as she knew her own—the face which had haunted her dreams and every hourof her waking life for the last two months. She had been aware, Panthea thought, from the very first that she could not escape him. She had seen the look in his eyes when he entered the hall at Staverley and shrank from {it in horror and disgust, but from that first moment it was too late. She had known, though she hardly dared put it into words eve^p herself, that his next visit had been but an excuse to see her pine he had come again and again, always with the, same excuse, always upsetting her father and frightening the servants into hysterics, so that she alone must remain calm in order to combat and defy him. ^And she had guessed that he enjoyed torturing them. She had seen it in the faint smile at the comer of his lips, in the depths of his eyes which watched her as a cat will watch a mouse before it pounces. And then at last he had spoken what was in his mind. Almost involuntarily as her thoughts tortured her Panthea made a convulsive gesture, and instantly the man at her side leant forward. He was for the instant silhouetted against the window and she saw his rounded head, the greying hair lank and straight. less

When her dog is trapped in a merciless snare, a stranger comes to the rescue in the magical, green-leafed bower of Monk's Wood. As wonderous as their encounter, so too did they instantly fall in love. Whoever her handsome, strongand gentle stranger was, Salema was prepared to travel the world or live in a cave with him.But fate was to test their newfound passion, when her father devises a plan for her to marry the elderly and cruel, but extremely rich Duke of Mountaired... moreWhen her dog is trapped in a merciless snare, a stranger comes to the rescue in the magical, green-leafed bower of Monk's Wood. As wonderous as their encounter, so too did they instantly fall in love. Whoever her handsome, strongand gentle stranger was, Salema was prepared to travel the world or live in a cave with him.But fate was to test their newfound passion, when her father devises a plan for her to marry the elderly and cruel, but extremely rich Duke of Mountaired. To refuse, was to defy her father - yet loves honour demanded that Salema and thepenniless stranger flee and marry.How she discovers the true identity of her beloved stranger, how they foil a clever plot against the Duke, and how they finally escape the family ties of the past that would keep them apart, are all told in this exciting and beautiful story of true and forever love. less

Bored by endless balls and dull dance companions her stepmother forces her to entertain, Tatika feels trapped - trapped by society norms and the inevitable marriage to the odious and terrifying Lord Crowley. But what was she to do as she is faced with the prospect of marriage to a man twice her age, or the beating she will receive, if she refuses? To escape, Tatika runs away to Scotland, and under an assumed name becomes a paid companion to the Dowager Duchess of Strathcraig at Castle Craig... moreBored by endless balls and dull dance companions her stepmother forces her to entertain, Tatika feels trapped - trapped by society norms and the inevitable marriage to the odious and terrifying Lord Crowley. But what was she to do as she is faced with the prospect of marriage to a man twice her age, or the beating she will receive, if she refuses? To escape, Tatika runs away to Scotland, and under an assumed name becomes a paid companion to the Dowager Duchess of Strathcraig at Castle Craig. But despite her freedom, the Castle is surrounded by mysteries and whisperings of murder, which would soon put her life at risk. How Tatika discovers the secrets of the Castle, how she finally escapes the clutches of the despicable Lord Crowley and how her fear turns to love, are all told in this thrilling Scottish adventure. less

After her father’s sudden death, Eva finds herself alone in Paris, with little money and even fewer prospects. Turning to the notorious Madame LeBlance, one of Paris’s most famous Courtesans, for help, Eva discovers her father died in her fragrant arms. While she is there, Lord Charles Craig calls on LeBlanc with a very different problem and LeBlance devises a brilliant and clever solution to solve both their predicaments... moreAfter her father’s sudden death, Eva finds herself alone in Paris, with little money and even fewer prospects. Turning to the notorious Madame LeBlance, one of Paris’s most famous Courtesans, for help, Eva discovers her father died in her fragrant arms. While she is there, Lord Charles Craig calls on LeBlanc with a very different problem and LeBlance devises a brilliant and clever solution to solve both their predicaments.From here a twisted puzzle of deception and intrigue lies ahead, as Eva tries hard not to reveal her true identity, but her beauty cannot be hidden from the intolerable advances of the Marquis. Yet as the web of lies seem to turn against her, an unexpected turn of fate comes to her aide, and in doing so Eva finds a solution not only to Charles’ problem, but her own. less

Melissa Wade faced a choice. Marry the odious Dan Thorpe or be whipped until she did by her crude and cruel stepmother. Desperate to escape this unthinkable future, she pretends to be a lady’s maid to her best friend, Cheryl. Together they travel to meet Cheryl’s uncle, the Duke of Aldwick, whose reputation as a pompous, commanding cynic and hater of women proceeds him... moreMelissa Wade faced a choice. Marry the odious Dan Thorpe or be whipped until she did by her crude and cruel stepmother. Desperate to escape this unthinkable future, she pretends to be a lady’s maid to her best friend, Cheryl. Together they travel to meet Cheryl’s uncle, the Duke of Aldwick, whose reputation as a pompous, commanding cynic and hater of women proceeds him. Had Melissa escaped one situation, only to enter a more dangerous one?As her deception is unmasked, Melissa must challenge the Duke to help her best friend. But no sooner has she started to break down the barriers of the elusive Duke, does she realise his life is mortal danger. Worse still the threat of marriage to loathsome Dan Thorpe has not evaded her. How Melissa uncovers the secrets of the castle to save the Duke and how at last she finds everlasting happiness, are all told in this exciting story of friendship, understanding and love. less