Sjömansbiblioteket

The beautiful Konstantina Millbank has become an orphan after her adored parents have both suddenly died. In the autumn of 1892 she finds herself in a country East of the Danube en route to live with her recently appointed Guardian, the shadowy Countess Mordhile Megherny. Konstantina knows nothing of her Guardian except that she is a recluse who lives at Megherny Castle – the Castle where Konstantina’s own mother grew up, loveless and lonely. Much time has elapsed since then, but the past and its passions are far from dead. Encountering the brooding and handsome Prince Gregor Razghadi, Konstantina finds herself enmeshed in a disturbing story of love and betrayal. Between the enchanting moments she comes to spend with the Prince by moonlight and the bewildering life she leads at Megherny Castle with only her Guardian, the unappealing Baron Schenck and the mysterious Madame Zand for company, she is forced to confront the workings of her own heart. Her trust is shattered when Konstantina suspects that Prince Gregor is not, and never will be, free to love. Meanwhile, the Countess Mordhile has her own reasons for keeping her young and vulnerable Ward under her strict control. How the web of conflicting intrigue surrounding Konstantina eventually unravels. How she tries to escape from her Guardian and Megherny Castle as well as her own heart. And how she finds out that her prayers are answered and that love can be hers, despite so much turmoil, is all told in this exciting romantic story by BARBARA CARTLAND.

Barbara Cartland was the world’s most prolific novelist who wrote an amazing 723 books in her lifetime, of which no less than 644 were romantic novels with worldwide sales of over 1 billion copies and her books were translated into 36 different languages. As well as romantic novels, she wrote historical biographies, 6 autobiographies, theatrical plays and books of advice on life, love, vitamins and cookery. She wrote her first book at the age of 21 and it was called Jigsaw. It became an immediate bestseller and sold 100,000 copies in hardback in England and all over Europe in translation. Between the ages of 77 and 97 she increased her output and wrote an incredible 400 romances as the demand for her romances was so strong all over the world. She wrote her last book at the age of 97 and it was entitled perhaps prophetically The Way to Heaven. Her books have always been immensely popular in the United States where in 1976 her current books were at numbers 1 & 2 in the B. Dalton bestsellers list, a feat never achieved before or since by any author. Barbara Cartland became a legend in her own lifetime and will be best remembered for her wonderful romantic novels so loved by her millions of readers throughout the world, who have always collected her books to read again and again, especially when they feel miserable or depressed. Her books will always be treasured for their moral message, her pure and innocent heroines, her handsome and dashing heroes, her blissful happy endings and above all for her belief that the power of love is more important than anything else in everyone’s life.