"Innocent romance and bleak deception create a believable heroine and an intriguing plot." Historical Novel Society London, 1609. Lucy St.John, a highborn orphan at the glittering court of King James, is drawn into a dangerous affair with the Earl of Suffolk-a fateful choice that creates powerful enemies. Betrayed by her sister, Barbara and cast out in disgrace by the formidable Countess of Rochester, the Earl's vengeful sister, Lucy's life at court is shattered. Armed with her intelligence, education, and skill in healing, she refuses to accept defeat. In a world where women's fates are often sealed by the ambitions of men, Lucy fights her way back into society. An unexpected marriage elevates her to the position of mistress of the Tower of London, where she faces the harsh realities of plague, political upheaval, and tragic executions of both enemies---and friends. Inside the walls of the Tower, she tends to aristocratic prisoners and criminals alike, confronting the stark brutality of the world around her. As Barbara's fortunes rise through a marriage into the powerful Villiers family, Lucy is drawn into a dangerous game of power and survival. Her sister's alliance with the king's favourite, the Duke of Buckingham, promises wealth and influence but brings treachery and peril that could destroy Lucy and everything she holds dear. In a court rife with deceit, ambition, and shifting loyalties, Lucy must navigate a perilous path, fighting to protect her honour, her family, and her very survival. Based on the true story of Elizabeth St.John's ancestor, Lucy St.John, this critically acclaimed novel offers a vivid portrayal of one woman's resilience in the face of betrayal, and her courageous journey through the turbulent politics of seventeenth-century England.