Five years ago, Daphne, a count’s daughter, was forced to lie on the witness stand to save her critically ill mother—and her false testimony sent Hans, the stable hand she loved, to prison. Now Hans returns to the small town of Freis as a duke, decorated for his wartime victories and bent on revenge. He finds Daphne destitute and sets out to make her pay, only to discover that she has been raising her gravely ill daughter, Alice, all alone. Just as the truth comes to light, the kingdom is overrun by traitors. Hans and Alice are taken captive, but Daphne and Hans work together from inside and outside the enemy’s hold, rescue the king, seize the Six-Pointed Star Seal, and save the realm. With every misunderstanding cleared up, the king decrees that they marry—and their broken bond is mended at last.
