Prince Timour Mirza, an heir to the Persian throne, is visiting England on a diplomatic mission to choose a wife. Brought up in a world where his every move is dictated, Timour longs for one night of freedom. Pearl Smith was raised amid London's , but a reversal of fortune has left her father languishing in debtors' prison. Now, on the night of the grand ball, she has been reduced to working below stairs at the Whitwell House in London's fashionable West End, the unwitting victim of a former friend's venomous envy. Curious about the life of everyday people, Timour trades his clothes and his position with a companion and escapes the masquerade ball. With the absence of his royal regalia, his darker skin and his beliefs draw unwanted attention. Stunned and humiliated by women she thought were her friends, Pearl flees the mansion. But the last thing she expects is to become the champion of a tall, dark stranger. And in the hours that follow, as a full moon bathes London in a May glow, Pearl and Timour will find that love can come when it's least expected.