Can the joy of Christmas, and a beautiful woman, distract him from his duty?

Alexander, Markgraf Kottenfurst, is extremely suspicious when he is invited to a Christmas house party in England. His brother, the prince of Aachen-Düren, a tiny principality near Brussels, insists that he go as this could be an incredible opportunity for their country. But after Alexander arrives, no one is willing to even discuss the reason he was invited.

Prudence Torrington's father really doesn't want her to attend the Christmas house party. The bubbly, always cheerful young woman will be the first to admit that she does have a tendency to get into trouble but she always has the best of intentions. Her father tries to explain that this isn't merely a party, there will be other members of Parliament there to carry out sensitive negotiations with a foreign dignitary. Prudence swears she will be good and her father relents.

Is it a recipe for disaster? Not even close. It's a Christmas intrigue leading to something neither Alexander nor Prudence could possibly expect.

This is the prequel to USA Today bestselling author Meredith Bond's ROYALS & REBELS series. The prequel was previously published in the Holiday Anthology: Naughty or Nice. It can be read as a standalone book.