Lydia Charring is spending a quiet Christmas at Chillington Abbey, helping her mother to take care of an ailing relative.It will be quiet, peaceful, and uneventful as always.Or at least, it should have been.The arrival of the mysterious Alexander Farago brings some unexpected excitement to Lydia's Christmas season.Could it also bring love?Alex is taken aback by the sudden and intense attraction he feels to the beautiful, out-spoken Lydia.As Christmas approaches, they grow closer and closer, and something strong is grow-ing between them.But Alex is keeping a secret from the down-to-earth Lydia. Something he's not sure she'll appreciate.Can Alex convince Lydia to love him for him, and not for his status?And when his secret is revealed, will Lydia trust the man who has won her heart?