Book description
Anna, a young countess, has lived in the glittering city of St
Petersburg all her life in an ice-blue palace overlooking the River
Neva. But when revolution tears Russia apart, her now-penniless family
is forced to flee to England. Armed with an out-of-date book on
housekeeping, Anna determines to become a housemaid and she finds work
at the Earl of Westerholme's crumbling but magnificent mansion. The
staff and the family are sure there is something not quite right about
their new maid - but she soon wins them over with her warmth and
dedication. Then the young Earl returns home from the war - and Anna
falls hopelessly in love. But they can never be together: Rupert is
engaged to the snobbish and awful Muriel - and anyway, Anna is only a
servant. Or so everybody thinks . . .
Eva Ibbotson lives in Newcastle upon Tyne and has four grown-up
children. She has written ten other books for children, which have
been translated into many languages. She has won several major awards
for her work, and two major movies based on her books are currently in
development.
