Dordogne, 1886. Governess in the ancient and splendid chateau of the Duc Etienne de Sauterre! To exquisite young Lady Arletta Cherrington-Weir, left penniless and alone by her father's death, the timely job seemed the fairy-tale answer to a young woman's prayers. Yet over her storybook happiness loomed the dark shadow of the duc himself. His hatred for the English--Arletta's own people--was as fierce as the sinister legend that cloaked him in ever-growing mystery....