Ordered to get married by no less a personage than Queen Victoria, dashing “ladies’ man” and confirmed bachelor the Duke of Kerncliffe is desperate to find a suitable bride: a girl who’s not just beautiful but who’s also his Social equal and a credit to his Family Tree.
The ideal candidate is quickly confirmed: the very lovely Lady Millicent Hurst, whose father is glad of such a prestigious union — and disapproves of William, the one Millicent actually loves!
Millicent is horrified — as is her equally lovely cousin Areta. As an illegitimate child, she’s the black sheep of the family — unlike her beloved cousin, never will she be a débutante, attend glamorous Society balls… and never will she marry. And so she’s to be left alone with the aunt and uncle who despise her.
But suddenly a plan crystallises in her mind… What if the two cousin swap places? What if unbeknown to the Duke, he marries not Millicent but Areta? After all they’ve always looked so very much alike! But even she weaves her web of deceit, Areta dreads what will happen when the Duke discovers he’s married the Wrong Duchess.
