Antique with a Clove

Countess Natalia Izmestyeva lived in her estate as the absolute mistress. When her husband, a rare scoundrel, died, she expelled all his lackeys from the house, stopped going out into society, and ceased to entertain at home. But then she had a visitor – Prince Panyushin, who immediately made his presence known by coming to Izmestyeva uninvited. The countess was shocked by his impudence, but equally shocked by the personality of the prince. He was unlike any of her boring neighbors. The wealthy and handsome prince was considered a good match for the county ladies... But what game was this heartbreaker playing by sending roses from his greenhouse specifically to Natalia? Could it be, she thought, that Panyushin believed that the provincial widow would immediately lay down her arms before him? She had no intention of surrendering. And she did not know that Prince Grigory had lost his head upon seeing her on the very first day of his arrival at the estate – a beautiful amazon on an Arabian steed…