Against the seething political intrigues of 12th-century Europe, two
royal heirs will surrender to passion as they vie for the most
glittering, treacherous prize of all: the English throne
At nine, Maud, an English princess, was sent to Germany to become the
bride of the Holy Roman Emperor--a political alliance with a man her
father's age. At 25, the widowed Maud must marry once again, this time
to 14-year-old Geoffrey Plantagenet. But it is with Stephen of Blois,
Maud's fiercest rival for the British throne, that the headstrong
princess discovers the true meaning of desire.
Stephen, a descendant of William the Conqueror, believes absolutely in
his God-given right to rule. Torn between his illicit passion for Maud
and his own towering ambition, he knows he must choose. Stephen's
decision will wrench him from the arms of the woman he loves, ignite
civil war, and lead to a shattering act of betrayal that, decades later,
will come full circle and change the course of English history.
