As Russian ambassadress to England for twenty-five years from 1812 to 1836, Princess Dorothea Lieven was a pivotal figure in diplomatic circles, a courtesan who engaged kings and emperors and prime ministers. This story is the life of an exceptionally talented, if unlikeable, woman who was able to mix amorous and political intrigue as a matter of course. Two hundred years later, fictional Marcia Winter, the Prime Minister's Director of Communications prior to the 2010 General Election, writes to Dorothea. As her story unfolds, she provides comments on Dorothea's antics and on contemporary political UK issues. As their stories interweave across a two hundred-year timespan, attitudes and opinions towards women are explored by two extraordinary individuals, utilising their skills and influence to great effect.