The third volume in the ‘Seven Bands of Gold’ quartet sees our heroine Sally struggling to reconcile her love for the charismatic only son of the ruler of Al Khaleej and her affection for ardent suitor Matthew, the handsome naval officer. To complicate matters further, who should turn up but Doug, the fiancé who jilted her some years before.
But solid, reliable Matthew turns out to be not all he seemed and once again Sally’s trust is betrayed. Meanwhile, Doug watches unhappily from the sidelines as the love between Sally and Sheikh Abdullah deepens. He is still in love with Sally and would do anything to win her back, but has to accept that Sally has changed, matured and moved on, and is unlikely to forgive him for breaking her heart.
When Sally is badly injured in a riding accident, Abdullah realises that he has to make a painful and far-reaching decision. Affairs of state and his heart’s desire are irreconcilable, but is he capable of letting her go? Sally knows the cost of staying: as much as she loves Abdullah, the gilded cage holds no attraction. With an aching heart, she makes the decision to return to England to start a new life for herself, leaving no forwarding address for Abdullah or Doug.
But, on the day of her departure fate deals Sally an unexpected blow…
