She was a lady's maid who longed to be a lady. How else could Lucy Balfour hope to win the favor of Andrew, Viscount Harvey, the toast of the town, who seemed ready to take a bride at last? There was only one way to do and that was to command his attention. It seemed an impossible dream; first she had to become the peer of her own mistress, the coldly beautiful Lady Angela, who was determined to claim Andrew as her own. But there was Hamish MacGregor, the wily old butler, who promised to make Lucy's dream come true. With Lucy's unaccountable good luck at baccarat, they could win a fortune. With his cunning, they would conquer London society as "father" and "daughter" and meet the king himself! Having served the rich, he knew how they operated and Hamish MacGregor was determined to beat them at their own game. And having met Andrew Harvey, Lucy Balfour determined she would never be a servant again. ABOUT THE SERIES In this whirlwind series, Marion Chesney brings us spirited, independent women who are at once bewitching, beguiling and determined to have their say and make their mark on both their world and the world at large, be it within their social circle or extending beyond with their arms wide open these women are absolutely original and unforgettable as are the tales in which they are featured. Here is life in all of it's folly and foibles set out for us as we watch on this dizzying place where dreams are both shattered and made. ABOUT THE AUTHOR From 1977 to the early 1990's Marion Chesney wrote over one hundred romance novels. Now writing as M. C. Beaton, she is the bestselling award-winning author of two internationally successful mystery series - HAMISH MACBETH and AGATHA RAISIN. She lives in the United Kingdom.