A man who claims to be a prince and a woman forced to play along - but the real secret must be revealed before Christmas Day…It's Christmas at St. James' Court, and there's a pretender to the Russian throne attempting to gain Royal approval. Alexei Dmitry Immanuil Maximilian Konstantinvich - or Maxim, to his admirers - is determined to hide the secret that will ruin him.He may only be one and thirty, but he's seen enough of the world to last him a lifetime, unlike Miss Anne Marsh... moreA man who claims to be a prince and a woman forced to play along - but the real secret must be revealed before Christmas Day…It's Christmas at St. James' Court, and there's a pretender to the Russian throne attempting to gain Royal approval. Alexei Dmitry Immanuil Maximilian Konstantinvich - or Maxim, to his admirers - is determined to hide the secret that will ruin him.He may only be one and thirty, but he's seen enough of the world to last him a lifetime, unlike Miss Anne Marsh. She's agreed with her father that this will be her last Season to be presented at St. James'. Tired of being trotted out for the marriage market, all she wants is to retire to anonymity.That's going to be difficult after being found in a compromising position in the Russian Prince's rooms. A marriage of convenience is agreed, and Christmas Day is set for their wedding. But Maxim is hiding far more than Anne could ever guess, and she has a few secrets of her own...Will Maxim be recognised at Court for the Czar he claims to be? Will Anne accept a marriage of convenience from such a wild and hedonistic man? Can a Christmas with a Czar be the beginning of a lifetime together?Previously published in the anthology,
Have Yourself a Merry Little Secret less
#11
