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 Sometimes being strong is simply being kind....

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 Joachim, the youngest of the three Montailhac brothers [see below] is [usually] a perfect gentleman. He only has one guilty secret. Athletic, hard-working and keen to prove himself, Joachim supervises his father's estates and livestock. However, when two young ladies arrive for a visit, problems of all kinds multiply and being gentlemanly gets ever more difficult. 

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Helen [Nell] and Sophie Hartford, cousins of Joachim's sister-in-law, Olivia [see Scandalous Lady], are troubled girls and they struggle to fit into the very different lifestyle of the large and slightly exotic Montailhac family. The kindly Marquise gradually convinces them to relax but just as they begin to gain confidence, their bullying father summons them back to England.

 

The contrast in family life is harsh. Nell is endlessly fighting the demons of hatred and rejection as well as enduring separation from the man she loves. With no money, how can she hope to escape this prison? 

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