t was hardly a love match. The couple met for the first time at the altar when they exchanged their marriage vows.

The bride's wealthy, dictatorial father had bribed and blackmailed Major Kelvin Ward into marrying his only daughter. Kelvin had no choice but to go through with the wedding, but he bitterly resented the old man's scheming and the girl who had deprived him of his freedom.

Now his young wife sat trembling in the bridal cabin of the ship that was carrying them to India, dreading the approach of the angry stranger who had just become her husband. ( )

Seraphina and Kelvin are forced into a marriage by her father. After the wedding, they move to India where Kelvin will be a partner in a shipping firm. While on the ship to India, Seraphina helps save two Indian children. Through her compassion the Rajmata, a Indian princess, is impressed with her and invites her and Kelvin to the palace in Udaipur. While there, circumstances change. Can their marriage survive the change in circumstances?

I enjoyed this book. It is dated but still readable. The heroine is sweet and innocent. She finds her groom is the opposite of her father. He is gentle and attentive. Kelvin finds a woman he never thought he would. Seraphina may be quiet, but she is intelligent and interesting. They form a friendship first. An old flame turns up on the ship and Seraphina is unsure of herself. Kelvin ensures she knows old flames are not of interest to him. I appreciated his explanation to her on affairs of the heart vs. marriage. I liked his patience. I also liked that Seraphina cared about others and overcame her shyness when necessary. She is a doll.

I enjoy Barbara Cartland. I like how different romances were written in different eras. I have a lot of her in my library. ( )