Ludo da Portovenere, one time corsair, sometime merchant, secret agent of monarchs, servant of none. From the trading colony of Goa to the royal courts of England and Spain, Ludo da Portovenere completes perilous secret commissions on his own terms and for his own reasons. But as these tasks bring him closer to personal success, Ludo is forced to confront secrets of his own. While Ludo pursues a delicate mission for the English queen in the Spanish royal court, Alina, Baroness Metherall, faces new challenges, including what it means to be married to one person and love another. Ultimately, Ludo and Alina must decide who they really are, and to what extent their shared past should influence their future. " ." Deborah Swift, author of