To be chosen as a lady-in-waiting for Queen Mary is more than just an honor for Countess it’s a matter of life and death. After her brother is captured on the battlefield, Margaretha hopes the queen’s favor will allow her entry into circles of the powerful elite. There she will leverage her irresistible charm to secure her brother’s release. But as the victim of an unfortunate case of shyness, Margaretha’s feminine wiles are sorely lacking. Her only hope of achieving her aim is to practice the arts of flirtation on a man she should never fall in love with.

As a huntsman’s page, Friedrich has had enough of nobles to last him a lifetime, so when Countess Margaretha asks for his help, he has no intention of saying yes—until she offers a bargain he cannot refuse, giving him the ability to decipher a puzzling letter from his past. Soon, harmless lessons evolve into something more as Friedrich finds himself falling for the beautiful countess, but Margaretha’s plan to save her brother is not her only deceit. She is harboring a shocking secret, the weight of which may shatter the romance blossoming with Friedrich.