Love In The Ruins

the long version

When Mimosa Shenson's mother died, her father, a brilliant historian, decided to visit Tunisia to forget his grief. When her father died of a snake-bite, she found herself orphaned and penniless in Tunisia -- until chance presented the resourceful beauty with a dangerous and desperate opportunity. Her cousin Minerva was missing, perhaps kidnapped, and Mimosa moved into the wealthy young woman's life, to plan her own return to Britain. But Mimosa was innocent of her cousin's scandalous reputation, which lured to her luxurious Villa l'Astre Bleu, the dashing Dufee of Alrock, fresh from the pleasures of Paris. The Duke was fascinated by Roman archaeology, and soon the two were off to explore the ruins of an ancient Phoenician city nearby. Attacked by malefactors, the Duke and his lovely guide prevail, and claim their sweet reward -- the divine and joyous gift of a lifetime love....