A Discreet Gentleman of Intrigue

Deaf investigator, Brander Hansen, is convinced the man he glimpsed in Christiania is his childhood friend, though that man's headless body was discovered weeks ago. Catching the suspect leaving a tavern, Brander follows. Attacked, Brander is taken prisoner and dumped in St. Petersburg - where he doesn't understand the language or alphabet. With nothing but the clothes on his body, Brander struggles to survive.

Regin Hansen doesn't know where her husband is - or if he is alive. She sails for Denmark hoping Prince Christian VI will aid her search. In exchange, Christian asks Regin to do some discovering on his behalf, befriending an international diplomat. Pleasant at first, the diplomat threatens Regin when he is dissatisfied with her efforts to influence the prince. Regin must balance her friendship with the prince and the demands of the diplomat, all the while wondering if she has been widowed once again.