A story of romance and adventure set in Italy in the Middle ages. Noblemen plot amongst themselves to remove the counsellors of their young Duchess and to induce her to marry one of their number. By a trick, one of her friends escapes death and plans a method of revenging himself upon his enemies and saving the Duchess.

Jeffery Farnol (10 February 1878 9 August 1952) was a British writer since 1907 until his death, known for writing more than 40 romance novels, some formulaic and set in the Georgian Era or English Regency period, and swashbucklers, he with Georgette Heyer founded the Regency romantic genre.He published his first romance novel My Lady Caprice in 1907. The success of his early novels led Farnol to become a professional writer. He produced around 40 novels and volumes of stories, and some non-fiction and children's books. His last book was completed by his second wife Phyllis.Two of his early books, The Amateur Gentleman and The Broad Highway, have been issued in a version edited by romance novelist Barbara Cartland. The Amateur Gentleman was adapted for British film in 1920 and 1936, American film in 1926.