ANA is in a quandary.

She knows it was her guardian’s dearest wish that she marry his son RODDY – the Duke of Sealy – but she doesn’t love him, and life at Sealy Manor can seem so claustrophobic. To make it worse, Roddy’s fearsome sister CHARLOTTE is now planning the wedding for Ana’s 21st birthday, only two months away. Ana realizes she must marry Roddy or leave Sealy Manor penniless, with no way of supporting herself.

If only someone could whisk her away from all this. Someone who might take her back to the place where she was born – India. Someone who might be her very own maharajah…

Roddy’s best friend ARTHUR might be that man. Charming, charismatic, a Casanova, he is also rich – and, as Ana knows, freedom needs fortune. But Arthur is a worldly man who thinks of Ana only as a child. Ana must somehow convince him she is a woman…

She remembers a book. Found open at the side of the bed when Roddy’s mother died suddenly. A shocking book, full of exotic, erotic illustrations of the act of … making love. If only she could unlock its secrets – but it’s written in Sanskrit, which she doesn’t understand.

But there’s someone in the house who does…

CHANDAN is a guru newly arrived from India but too late to fulfil his mission of teaching Roddy’s mother about eastern religions. Ana persuades him to stay on, and to translate and teach her the book. The Kama Sutra.

The lessons begin in secret. Ana surprises herself by her daring, little realising that Chandan is daring himself too. For he is a Brahmin, who has never touched a woman. He thinks she is learning the book as a wedding surprise for Roddy, but begins to suspect she is more interested in luring Arthur. That worries him. Because he has begun to have feelings for her himself. Ana is feeling a little confused too…

When Chandan finally confronts her with his feelings, she responds – with a kiss. But the timing is terrible, for Arthur is responding now too, and wants to elope with her, whisking her away as she always dreamed of…

She must decide whom she wants. And where she wants to be. And she hasn’t reckoned with the devious Charlotte, who suspects Ana’s dalliance with Arthur and Chandan and will do everything in her power to thwart it.

Can there ever be freedom without fortune? Ana is about to find out.

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