SummaryOnce upon a time, high in the Pyrenees Mountains, there
were two happy and prosperous kingdoms. In one kingdom, a
son was born and declared the crown prince. In the other
kingdom, three daughters were raised in royal splendor. This is the story of one lost princess, Princess Clarice,
who flees with her younger sister to Scotland, where they
survive by their wits and daring. But just when Clarice
begins to believe she's safe at last, she attracts the
attention of one of Scotland's most powerful and dangerous
men. Robert MacKenzie, the earl of Hepburn, is enchanted by
Clarice's dazzling beauty -- and wary of her talent for
disguise. For years justice had been his only desire. A war
hero, he knows the cruelness of the world and he cares too
much for the people of his village to let them be
victimized and exploited. But the moment Robert sees
Clarice riding into town -- her lush, smiling lips, her
copper-colored curls, her warm amber eyes -- he is overcome
with emotions that have been deeply buried for far too
long. Feeling he must have her at any cost, he invites her
to stay with him at his manor house and won't take no for
an answer. Now, he has the chance to uncover the nature of her
mysterious business in town, and possibly the chance to
satisfy his burning desire for her as well. Soon Roberts knows all of Clarice's most guarded secrets,
and he uses this knowledge to blackmail her into giving her
unwilling aid to his own perilous plan. Caught between her
need to protect her sister and the dangerous man who mixes
dark emotions with passionate kisses, Clarice plunges into
Robert's glamorous world. Her days are filled with colorful
gowns, elaborate parties, and swirling waltzes. And her
nights are marked by secret assignations and one all-
consuming passion. As Clarice's golden beauty draws Robert from the shadows
and her bright wit teaches him to live again, the treachery
around them deepens. He swears to keep her safe, never
suspecting that he will face an even greater hazard: losing
his heart to the mysterious princess who just might make
him believe in happily-ever-after ...
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