This is Maya's story. Maya Barrington is the daughter of an English lord and and Indian mother. When her mother died, she was sent to live with her grandmother in rural India until her father decided to take her back to England with him. Maya's new stepmother took a firm dislike to her so her father sent her to Miss Stranje's school for unusual girls. Though Maya feels abandoned by her father, Stranje House and the other girls who live there is a perfect home for her.

Maya's gift is to use her voice to persuade. She also has a wonderful singing voice. Her gift comes in handy when the Prince Regent decides that this would be a perfect time to try to negotiate a peace treaty with Napoleon. None of his wiser advisers can talk him out of this and, so, Miss Stranje and the others who are concerned with England's future do come up with a plan.

Maya isn't happy that the plan includes a fake engagement with Lord Kinsworth who has been her duet partner and who manages to make her feel uneasy. Maya has a gift for hearing everyone's personal song and understanding them through what she hears. Unfortunately, Lord Kinsworth song only manages to confuse her. When she overhears him telling someone that he doesn't want to marry because it would steal his freedom, Maya fears her attraction to him because she doesn't want to be with someone who is likely to abandon her as her father did.

The story has a wonderful Regency setting, intrepid young women, and an action-filled plot. Fans of historical fiction and alternate history will enjoy this series. This book is the fourth but stands alone quite well. ( )