Lady Georgina Lang returns to The Castle from her father's funeral to wonder what the future holds for her. Because her father had always longed for a son to succeed him, he had brought her up and educated her exactly as if she was a boy. She dressed as a boy and, although she had been christened Georgina, he liked calling her George. She was completely alone in the huge castle, which was now inherited by the new Earl of Langfield, a distant cousin who had been difficult to trace. Alister, however, had never, in his wildest dreams, expected to become the eleventh Earl of Langfield. He had left England in a fury because, having been pressed into marrying a very suitable young woman chosen by his family, he had run away to be free of her. When she died, he had sworn that he would never marry again as he disliked all women especially those who argued and were determined to have their own way. He finds his cousin Georgina at The Castle and she shows him the vast estate, the farms, the villages and The Castle itself, all of which now belongs to him. He also learns that, as he is the Head of the Family, traditionally they rely on him entirely for financial support. Georgina has already been warned by her aunt that on no account is she to wear men's clothes in front of Alister and always to be soft, sweet and gentle in his company. And she has to persuade him as a weak woman to realise his position as the Earl of Langfield. How a newspaper article describing The Castle and its valuable contents brings a tiresome neighbour to the Castle. How the Earl, because she is un-chaperoned makes Georgina go to the Dower House. How the article attracts some ferocious burglars to The Castle. How Georgina saves the Earl's life and unexpectedly finds love and happiness is all told is this unusual story by BARBARA CARTLAND.

Welcome to the 5th book of The Shade series... "Of course you know waho I am. I'm a daughter of the darkness just as surely as you are his son..." Ever since his brief encounter with Emilia at The Shade, Derek's thoughts and dreams have been haunted with images of the mysterious, beautiful brunette. Plagued with guilt, he struggles to understand why he is so drawn to this dark stranger from his past. When Emilia suddenly appears again on the island, Derek is both terrified and intrigued. But this time, he is determined to involve Sofia and discover who this woman is. If only Derek and Sofia knew, Emilia is a mystery that should be left undiscovered...

The handsome and aristocratic, thirty-five year old diplomat Lord Athelstan knows that he is heading for trouble on his mission to the Caucasus to investigate how long the legendary Shamyl, the Imam of Daghestan, can hold out against the invading Russians. But little does he expect to be faced with another kind of conflict - with a beautiful young hostage imprisoned in the Imam's stronghold. The lovely Natasha is only nineteen and she was seized along with a Royal party by the Imam's followers and held to ransom against the release of the Imam's only son by the Russians. Orphaned, she has no hope of raising a ransom and instead has reluctantly agreed to be given to the Sultan of Turkey as a 'wife' for his vast harem in return for the release of her nine-year-old brother. The Imam implores Lord Athelstan to escort Natasha safely to Constantinople - a favour he cannot grant lest it anger the Russians and compromise Great Britain. But then he meets her - undoubtedly the most glorious woman he has ever seen, with fire in her eyes, when he informs her that he cannot agree to Shamyl's request. Ultimately Natasha gives him no choice and, when she appears among his party in disguise, Lord Athelstan is furious. Soon their mutual hatred turns to all-consuming love - a love surely doomed by Natasha's pledge to sacrifice herself to the Sultan's harem for the sake of her brother -

Banished by her malicious stepmother, Lady Cranleigh, after the death of her father, Melita braves a long and lonely sea voyage from England to the Caribbean island of Martinique. With a heavy heart at leaving her childhood home, as her father has left her penniless, she has no choice but to comply with her stepmother's bidding and accept her reduced circumstances with grace. As the ship sails ever closer to her destiny, Melita is determined to face her new life as a lowly Governess to motherless little Rose-Marie with fortitude. Arriving in the French colony, Melita is delighted to discover Martinique is a sun-drenched island blessed with beauty. Overwhelmed by the clear blue skies and the abundance of colourful flowers and shrubs, she begins to believe that she can be happy again, especially when she meets the handsome and surprisingly young, Comte de Vesonne, her new employer. Gazing at each other in astonishment, both are pleasantly surprised to discover something that they were not expecting. But not everyone at the sugar plantation is so pleased to welcome her and, when Melita hears drums pounding softly in the night, shattering the tranquility of the safe haven she has found at Vesonne, she remembers with foreboding the warnings she has heard about Voodoo practiced by the African slaves. Can the mysterious old woman that the slaves call their Mamba really call on the spirits of the dead? And if so, do they mean to help or harm her and the Comte she so much admires and is beginning to love? One thing is for sure - she will protect her young charge, little Rose-Marie, with her life if needs be.

With her flaming red hair and emerald green eyes, Xenia's unusual beauty makes her stand out in any crowd - that is until she unexpectedly meets her long lost cousin, Johanna, amidst the wreckage of a railway accident. Incredulous at finding her mirror image and desperate for a friend, Xenia's initial joy is soon replaced by misgivings when Johanna suggests an outrageous plan to swap lives for two weeks. However, these are soon swept aside by her forceful cousin and Xenia finds herself agreeing to help Johanna enjoy ten final days of freedom with the Englishman she loves before her arranged Royal marriage. As her cousin steals away from the site of the train crash, Xenia suddenly realises all that impersonating Johanna, even for a short while, will entail. Especially as her cousin was travelling to meet and marry her fiance, King Istvan of Luthenia, and the journey must continue so suspicions are not aroused. Surrounded by servants and diplomats, Xenia struggles to assume the Royal role that Johanna inhabits so easily and prays that her true identity will not be discovered. Arriving in Luthenia, Xenia is instantly plunged into a world of political intrigue and drama a million miles away from the quiet life she previously enjoyed in the English countryside. With a Constitutional crisis threatening and rumours of revolution, Luthenia desperately needs this arranged wedding to go ahead to cement allegiances and maintain the balance of power in Europe. As the Luthenian Court prepares for a grand State wedding and the nuptial date grows ever nearer, it seems that the beautiful cousins have only one desire in common - they both want to marry for love. But who shall be their bridegrooms?

Beautiful, young, impoverished Parson's daughter, Hermia Brooke, is happy with her simple country life, despite being shunned by her wealthy uncle the Earl of Millbrooke and her cousin, the spoilt and selfish Marilyn. In a chance encounter with a raffishly handsome gentleman, whom she decides resembles the Devil himself, she nevertheless helps him with a stone stuck in his horse's hoof. Rewarded with a golden guinea and a shocking kiss, Hermia finds her world turned topsy turvy when she meets the mysterious stranger once more at the behest of Marilyn, who is determined to trap this 'Devil' - namely the Marquis of Deverille - into marriage. Just as Hermia's innocent heart warms to the gentler side of this hard-bitten aristocrat and he falls under her guileless spell, the Marquis is embroiled in a murderous plot and Hermia must fight for his life, even as all hope of the love she dreams about for herself seems lost.

The beautiful Adella May is filled with joy as she sees Digby Dryden, the man she loves, walking towards her. But why does he turn away, refusing to look at her? Humiliated and hurt and her golden dream of love in ruins, what can Adella do now and where can she turn? Will she be forced to give up her hopes of seeing Digby again and obey her tyrannical Uncle Edgar and accept the proposal of the rich and suitable aristocrat, Lord Ranulph Fowles, a man she cannot love? Adella's dear school friend, Jane Hartley, holds an exquisite bouquet to her heart. The card attached to it bears the signature of the man she adores, but it is intended for another woman. Jane must endure the torment of knowing that she will never be loved by him, for she is just a humble Governess, while he, the most eligible bachelor in London, is from the highest echelons of Society. Trapped in a cruel web of deceit and obsession, the two girls fight to hold onto their dreams, but can they ever be happy in a world that does not recognise their right to love? Find out all in this enthralling and unusual romance by BARBARA CARTLAND.

Just eighteen, beautiful and intelligent, Yola Beauharnais lives a blessed Fairy tale life at her magnificent family castle on the Loire. Then her grandmother announces that she has been promised in marriage by her late beloved father to the Marquis de Montereau. Yola is appalled. She has heard of the Marquis, who, although handsome and sophisticated, has a reputation in Paris as a rake, socialite and 'ladykiller'. How could she possibly marry such a man, one who wants her only for her castle and the extensive estate? Determined to marry only for true love, wherever she may find it, Yola is helped by her father's mistress and travels 'undercover' to Paris in the guise of a woman of questionable morals to meet the notorious Marquis and find out for herself whether he might fall in love with her as herself and for herself only. Or whether she must betray her father's dying wish and refuse her unwanted suitor. On meeting the Marquis in her disguise, Yola finds that there is much more to him than his reputation suggests and, as love blossoms between them, she comes to bitterly regret her deception. Will she really find her true love or will she be condemned to live a life of disappointment and delusion as the Sleeping Beauty of her enchanted castle?

Just eighteen, beautiful and intelligent, Yola Beauharnais lives a blessed Fairy tale life at her magnificent family castle on the Loire. Then her grandmother announces that she has been promised in marriage by her late beloved father to the Marquis de Montereau. Yola is appalled. She has heard of the Marquis, who, although handsome and sophisticated, has a reputation in Paris as a rake, socialite and 'ladykiller'. How could she possibly marry such a man, one who wants her only for her castle and the extensive estate? Determined to marry only for true love, wherever she may find it, Yola is helped by her father's mistress and travels 'undercover' to Paris in the guise of a woman of questionable morals to meet the notorious Marquis and find out for herself whether he might fall in love with her as herself and for herself only. Or whether she must betray her father's dying wish and refuse her unwanted suitor. On meeting the Marquis in her disguise, Yola finds that there is much more to him than his reputation suggests and, as love blossoms between them, she comes to bitterly regret her deception. Will she really find her true love or will she be condemned to live a life of disappointment and delusion as the Sleeping Beauty of her enchanted castle?

Arriving home from school, Bertilla is sad to find her home unprepared for her and her widowed mother is far from pleased to see her. Even worse, Lady Alvinston, a celebrated Society beauty, makes it clear that she has no intention of allowing her pretty eighteen-year-old daughter anywhere near the glittering London social scene she enjoys so much herself. As her mother continues her scheming to snare a wealthy husband before her looks fade, the last thing she needs is Bertilla making it obvious that she is old enough to have a grown up daughter. So when handsome Lord Saire, the prize amongst all of the eligible bachelors, happens upon Bertilla at a railway station, Lady Alvinston determines that their paths shall never cross again. Hastily packed up and sent to live with her mean-spirited Aunt Agatha, a Missionary in Sarawak, Bertilla is reconciled to the fact that she will never see England again. Feeling rejected, unloved and facing the deprivations of a Second Class ticket on her long sea voyage to Malaya, she is astounded to meet Lord Saire once more. Cut off from everything she knows and thrown into the elegant world of the steamship Saloon, Bertilla clutches at the kindness offered by Lord Saire, the man the Society matron's call, 'the Love Pirate'. Dashing, independent and a well-known heartbreaker, Lord Saire is cast in the unusual role of rescuer as they travel towards the beauty and mystery of the Far East. Acting as guardian and protector to Bertilla is very different to the passionate but brief relationships with Society beauties he normally enjoys and demonstrates the caring side of his nature. But is this a role he relishes or are his eyes really on the sophisticated married women he usually spends time with? As a man who has shunned love and marriage is he really the ideal protector for Bertilla as she dreams of freedom, romance and true love?

New York Times bestseller Elle Kennedy brings you the first in the sexy Off-Campus series that everyone is talking about.

Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she's carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush's attention, she'll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice . . . even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.

All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he's worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he's all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn't take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn't going to cut it.

Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.

The handsome and debonair Marquis of Raventhorpe is known throughout the Beau Monde as something of a ladies' man until he falls under the spell of Society beauty Lady Sarah Chessington. But when he arrives at the Earl of Chessington-Crewe's house to propose, he realises that Lady Sarah wants him only for his wealth and position and he leaves in a fury, vowing that he will never marry. By the wayside he encounters a young exquisite beauty utterly different from any woman he has ever met, in fact she looks like an angel who has just fallen from Heaven by mistake. She is the Earl's niece and ward, Ula Forde, who is running away from her Guardian, who mistreats and beats her savagely. Outraged, the Marquis rescues her and plots to punish Lady Sarah and the Earl by making Ula the belle of every ball and the toast of London Society. It is only when the despicable Earl kidnaps the terrified girl that love for Ula blossoms in the Marquis's heart. He must rescue her - if he is not already too late -

When Angus McKeith knocks on the door, the lives of Fiona Windham and her niece and ward Mary-Rose are changed forever. Following the recent death of Fiona's father, Lord Ian Rannock, and sister, Rosemary, the child has become heir-presumptive to her Scottish uncle, the Duke of Strathrannock, who has summoned Mary-Rose to his castle in Scotland. Reluctantly complying, but insisting that she accompany Mary-Rose, Fiona finds the Duke handsome, yet distant and cold. Ostracised by the Highland community after the mysterious disappearance of his wife, the Duchess, and a bitter feud with his father, the Duke has withdrawn from Society and seems an insensitive, even brutal man. Soon, though, as Fiona's innocent beauty warms the Duke's cold heart and love between them blossoms. But when she attempts to solve the mystery that traps him in the past, Fiona finds herself in mortal danger at the hands of a woman possessed by a deranged desire for vengeance.

Innocent young Candida is almost destitute after the death of her beloved father. Resolving to keep up the family's modest Elizabethan manor house in Hertfordshire and support Ned, the family's faithful servant, she sees no alternative but to sell her beloved pitch-black stallion, Pegasus. So, when the worldly Major Hooper offers to take her and her mount to Hyde Park where she will undoubtedly find a high price, she agrees, though with a heavy heart. Little does she suspect that Major Hooper trades in young women as well as horseflesh - and soon she finds herself and Pegasus 'sold' to the dashing but awe-inspiring Lord Manville. A terrible maze of misunderstanding ensues and just when Candida realises that she has lost her heart to his Lordship, the London Society that seemed so carefree turns cruel. Even as she flees astride Pegasus, she is heartbroken, knowing she may never again see the man she loves -

Amidst the exciting preparations for the grand opening of Prince Albert's prized Crystal Palace, a young orphan, Sorilda, is being forced into marriage by her recently cuckolded uncle, the Duke of Nuneaton. Having sheltered lovely Sorilda since the tragic death of her parents, the usually fair-minded Duke has been driven to jealous retaliation by his deceitful new Duchess. Suspecting his close neighbour, the Earl of Winsford, of ungentlemanly conduct with his beautiful wife, the Duke issues an ultimatum. The Earl must renounce the Duchess and marry the Duke's flame-haired niece or face the public embarrassment of a scandal. Handsome, intelligent and fabulously wealthy, the Earl makes his choice and reluctantly marries Sorilda, his helpless bride. Angry at being pressured into such a union and aghast that he does not know, let alone love, his wife, the Earl remains distant and determined not to let Sorilda into his life. Enjoying the freedom from the miserable prison of her uncle's home, Sorilda's natural charm and positive nature soon force their way to the surface, despite the coldness of her bridegroom. Delighted by everything around her, it is not long before she has made her way into the hearts of everyone she meets. But, as London Society eagerly awaits the Great Exhibition, a spurned Duchess is busy plotting. Furious at being caught in a compromising situation, and filled with hatred for Sorilda, who has married the man she desires, she will not rest until she has her revenge.

After the death of the kindly old Earl of Yardecombe, Oscar the brash and pleasure-seeking new Earl seems to care little for the people of the Parish - let alone for the plight of young Dorina Stanfield, her widowed father and their impoverished family at the rundown Vicarage. Dorina's opinion of this raffish gentleman is lower still when she hears of lewd goings-on with his flamboyant friends at the 'Big House'. Confronting his Lordship, Dorina is stunned to find him chastened by her accusations. Nevertheless, she is unconvinced. Everything changes, though, when Dorina overhears the Earl's wicked heir presumptive's Satanic incantations, summoning the Devil to murder his Lordship. Suddenly what she thought was hatred for Oscar turns into a Divine and eternal love that swiftly conquers the perpetrator of this devilry - but will the elusive Earl ever feel the same about her?

The beautiful Lady Eleta Renton returns from France where she has stayed long over her time at the Convent School in Paris. Because her mother had married again after becoming widowed and then she died too, Eleta was in no hurry to come home. When she arrives back in London, rather sad at leaving the Convent School, she is horrified when her stepfather, whom she had never liked, tells her that she is to marry the Duke of Hazelware, because he is important to him in his business of shipbuilding and the Duke requires a wife with money. As she had never even seen the Duke, Eleta protested violently, especially when she learns her intended husband is over fifty, but her stepfather informs her that he is her Guardian by law until she is twenty-one and that will not be until the end of the year. As she is terrified at being forced into this marriage, she decides that the only course open to her is to run away . She learns from her mother's maid, Betty, of whom she is very fond, that there is an Agency nearby where she might be able to find a position as a secretary or a Governess. At the Agency the only place available is with the Marquis of Teringford, who has a very tiresome, badly behaved child of nine years of age, with whom no Governess will stay and has apparently run through a large number of them. One of them actually said when she left that she was a child of the Devil. Because she is desperate and despite Betty's misgivings at the Marquis's apparently doubtful reputation, Eleta takes the position and goes to his magnificent house in Hertfordshire. Here she finds that the small child has never been loved, which is the reason why she is so difficult. Also the Marquis is seldom there and, when he is, he scolds and lectures his daughter to distraction. How Eleta eventually tames and finds love for her pupil and for herself is all told in this romantic and moving tale by BARBARA CARTLAND.

When Morgan and Benji surprise their families with a wedding invitation to Maine, they’re aware their relationship will come as a shock.

Twelve years have passed since the loss of sixteen-year-old Alice Weil, Benji’s sister and Morgan’s best friend. No one is quite the same. As the headstrong young couple brings the two families together for the first time since the funeral, they wonder: can old wounds truly be mended?

When the guests descend upon the tranquil coastal town for the whirlwind nuptials, it soon becomes clear that these estranged families are not ready to move on. Rekindled old flames, new lovers, and deep resentments abound. Even the bride harbours delicate secrets about her friend’s death that threaten the happiness she has worked so hard for.

Will the fragile peace the wedding offers survive the sunny weekend?

Or are these two families about to find out that the darkest secrets always come to light in the end?

The fourth book of the Shade series has finally arrived A riot among the humans. A siege at the port. A kingdom on the brink of civil war while still facing the threat of an attack from outside forces at any moment. Since the implosion at The Oasis and Derek's stay at Hawk Headquarters, The Shade has fallen into a state of utter chaos. To make matters worse, the citizens of Derek's kingdom have become suspicious of his loyalties and accuse him of siding with the enemy... At a time when Derek desperately needs full cooperation from his subjects, they wish to put their own King on trial. Meanwhile, Sofia is being held hostage by the hunters. They are determined to rid her of her infatuation with the vampire. She submits to the strict routine and training they impose on her, but the only fuel that keeps her going is the thought of reuniting with Derek - something Reuben is fighting with every fiber of his being to ensure will never happen. ...Until one day, out of the blue, Reuben appears to have a change of heart and comes to Sofia with a proposal; a solution that she never dreamed possible. A solution that would fulfil her heart's deepest desires and secure her and Derek's future together, forever. But can she really trust this man who is so renowned for his hatred of vampires? Does she even have a choice? Scroll up and click the buy button now to find out... Recommended reading order: A Shade Of Vampire (Book 1) A Shade Of Blood (Book 2) A Castle Of Sand (Book 3) A Shadow Of Light (Book 4)

Lady Loretta's father, the well-respected Lord Lieutenant of the County, is doing his best to force her into marriage with the Marquis of Sauerdun, the son of a good friend. Whilst her father thinks he is making a good match for his beloved daughter, she is aghast at the thought of an arranged marriage and vows she will only marry for love. Searching her mind for a way to stay free to pursue the kind of love she has always dreamt of, she happens upon a good plan. What if she could prove to her straight-laced father that the man he means for her is not only an unsuitable husband, but a philandering rake too? With the Marquis's reputation for love affairs with beautiful, seductive and preferably married women well known in Society, surely this would not prove too difficult? Seizing upon this last ditch attempt to stay unmarried, Lady Loretta devises a scheme to prove to her father that her intended is an unrepentant heartbreaker. Throwing herself upon the charity and good nature of her notorious cousin Ingrid, whose scandalous love affair has already rocked polite English Society, she heads for Paris alone. Delighted at how quickly she has escaped and enjoying the freedom of her adventure, Loretta determines to find out more about the Marquis and wastes no time in seeking him out. But Fate has its own plans for this spirited English beauty and before too long she is caught up in a web of deceit that threatens to change her life forever.

When two dashing gentlemen ride up to Rensham Hall, the ancestral Norfolk home of the beautiful Lady Chiara Fairfax, her world is turned upside down, as she and her mother are just recovering from the unexpected death of her father, Lord Fairfax. One of them, the handsome Mervyn Hunter, is soon in ardent pursuit of the lovely Chiara. But can she trust his declarations of love or does the mysterious, dark-haired stranger she encounters by chance on the seashore hold the key to her future happiness? Mervyn Hunter proposes marriage to Chiara and she turns him down, as she does not love him and she senses that he is cold and calculating and has an ulterior motive in asking her to be his wife. As she watches spellbound, a group of wild swans fly North over the sea towards Russia, Chiara feels a magical world of passion and beauty calling to her. Soon she too will be travelling North to the enchanting City of St. Petersburg, although in the company of Mervyn Hunter's pushy sister and her two tiresome daughters. But will she ever break free from the clutches of Mervyn Hunter and his family and be reunited with her true soulmate, the elusive and mysterious Count Dimitrov? Find out, in this scintillating and thrilling romance by Barbara Cartland.

Young London man about town Hamish McMurdock bears a grudge against his uncle, the Earl of Kilmurdock, because he refused to consider Hamish's money-making plan of selling lobsters, crabs and salmon from the family estate The refusal is unreasonable but understandable because, although a young man, the Earl is embittered, hating all women after having his heart broken unforgivably. Hamish, though, plans to teach his uncle a lesson by sending an unknowing young woman to the Earl's Highland castle to care for what she believes is a blind and deaf old man. Almost destitute after the death of her parents, innocent young Jacoba answers Hamish's advertisement. Arriving timidly at The Castle in Scotland, she is horrified when the Earl flies into a fury and orders her away rudely. It is only when she collapses in exhaustion that she is allowed to stay. And when the Earl is terribly wounded by poachers, she nurses him tenderly back to health. All the time love is blossoming in her heart - but surely as soon as he recovers from his wounds he will simply send her away - ?

The Marquis of Elvington, heartbroken to discover the woman he intended to marry has deceived him, decides to leave England and put as many miles as possible between them. Handsome, intelligent and a great favourite at the Court of King William IV and Queen Adelaide, the Marquis is used to the admiration of women and respect of men, so the duplicity of his intended wife strikes him a cruel blow. However, a thick fog makes it impossible for his yacht to leave Dover Harbour, so he is forced to remain on British soil another night. Anger swiftly chasing his sadness, he decides to visit a cheap quayside inn to escape the loneliness he feels and drown his sorrows. Sitting alone, his mind firmly fixed on how the woman he loved has betrayed him, he vows never to love or trust again. But Fate seems determined to challenge him as almost immediately he is forced to act as a 'Good Samaritan' to protect a young lady, Ola, intent on escaping the clutches of her hateful stepmother and dishonourable cousin. Blaming his act of charity on the vast quantities of brandy he consumed and against his better judgement, he offers to sail her in his yacht, The Sea Wolf, to Calais. Ola is brave, opinionated and daring - as well as possessing the most flaming red hair he has ever seen. From the moment she steps aboard, decrying men and their dastardly intentions, the Marquis is hard put to keep in step with her wild ideas and brave deeds. In turn admiring her free spirit and amazed at her lack of understanding of the ways of the world, they form a strange truce based on the fact that both vow never to marry. But Fate has not finished meddling yet and they are soon embroiled in incredible adventures, too fantastic for either of them ever to have imagined, that push their friendship to its very limits.

What Sofia has with Derek feels like a sandcastle; temporary and something that the waves of life and time will soon ruin... Since the return of Gregor Novak, the island has turned several shades darker. His hatred toward Sofia and thirst for fresh blood lead to a brutal war igniting between father and son. Meanwhile, the hunters are gaining formidable strength and resources by the day; they know that the safety of The Shade hangs entirely on its ability to remain hidden from them. And a sinister secret lies in wait for Sofia within the bowels of an Egyptian desert ... a secret that threatens to crush her sandcastle much sooner than she could have expected.

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. 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.