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The Earl of Rochester is as notorious as his 17th Century namesake, enjoying the pleasures of London society and the trappings of his riches. When visiting the fascinating, but married, Circe Langstone he accidentally meets her stepdaughter, Ophelia. Clearly frightened in her surroundings he begins to wonder what could have upset her so, until a chance encounter a few days later, reveals all. What she tells him starts a train of events that nearly kills her and leads the Earl to hide her away on his country estate. Furious at losing her stepdaughter, Circe, whom the Earl has nicknamed 'The Serpent of Satan' calls on the forces of black magic to get her back. How the Earl thwarts the evil stepmother, how he saves Ophelia from a fate worse than death and how he finds true happiness are all told in this thrilling tale by Barbara Cartland.