It is Spring 1782, and Lady Margaret Sarah Montagu, the only child of the 9th Earl of Hartmoor, is making her social debut at Hartmoor House in Grosvenor Square. While Lady Margaret cannot inherit her father's title, she is of interest to most of the eligible peers of the realm, for she is heiress to a huge Irish estate, Wingfield Park. Moreover, the Earl of Hartmoor is immensely influential: he is master of Hartmoor Castle in Lancashire, owner of a stud at Newmarket, a country estate in Surrey, and is a key player in the House of Lords as well as being an advisor to King George III.But the Earl has never recovered from the unexpected death of his Countess, Juliana, some six years previously, and shows no inclination to marry. If his bloated, drunken, younger brother survives him, then he will become the 10th Earl. There is also his sister, Lady Geraldine Montagu, a vicious, angry spinster who controls the Earl's household, and is, some say, unnaturally close to her younger brother. Lady Margaret, a child born of love, is endowed with great faith and courage, and infused with tremendous spirit.

From the moment of her appearance, it is clear, from the hush that falls upon the ballroom, that she is not only an independent soul, but a great beauty; a woman who will want to control her own life, loves and destiny...