Now that her beloved father has passed away and the family estate sold off to provide for her future, beautiful young, Zelina Tiverton is somewhat bewildered to find herself living in amid the glamour of London’s Social World with her guardian, her Aunt Kathleen. Now her aunt has a greater shock in store, announcing that she is sending Zelina to Russia to stay as Governess with Prince and Princess Volkonsky. Clearly Aunt Kathleen simply wants Zelina off her hands and reluctantly she finds herself aboard a paddle-steamer bound for Stockholm. On board she meets Lord Charnock – ‘one of the most handsome men she had ever seen, but also one of the most aloof’ – who, unbeknown to Zelina, is headed for St Petersburg on a secret diplomatic mission for the Prime Minister Lord Palmerston. And so Zelina, this innocent abroad, find herself in a world of secret police, spies, sinister intrigue and predatory men, with only the dashing Lord Charnock to protect her.