Cirrus@Austlit

'Widower James Forrester of Eldernell Station on the Darling Downs in rural Australia is a self-made man, a wealthy pastoralist and a member of parliament. He escaped from poverty by migrating to Australia after his family was thrown off their tenant farm in England by their local lord. Sneered at by the Australian gentry and called 'Lord Muck' because of his lowly beginnings and lack of education, James is determined his only child, Nell, will be educated as a lady so she fits into society.

'Alice Lethbridge has escaped her demanding siblings, who treated her as an unpaid companion and nurse, to work as a paid governess in Australia. She arrives to find the children's mother has died and their father, a wealthy pastoralist, has taken to drink to forget his grief. When he tries to seduce Alice, she flees to the neighbouring homestead of James Forrester. He gives Alice sanctuary and offers her the job of educating his shy daughter in every accomplishment needed to enter society. Alice takes on the position and secretly decides to polish up her employer's etiquette also.

'Just as the forces of colonial society unite to bankrupt James, he discovers Alice has a secret that undermines everything he thought he knew about her. How can Alice save James from financial ruin and win back his regard?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.