The classic novel about a young man torn between his aristocratic family's social world and his desire to forge an independent life for himself. Sebastian, Duke of Chevron, is the heir to his family's grand estate in the English countryside. Until he comes of age, the nineteen-year-old's inheritance resides in the care of his widowed mother Lucy, the Dowager Duchess. Sebastian and his sister Viola attend their mother's extravagant parties, mingling with society's elite, whose gossip about decadent behavior and trivial matters leaves the siblings feeling lost and unfulfilled . . . Until they meet one inspiring guest. Leonard Anquetil is an adventurer and explorer, not born to wealth, but respected for his achievements. Seeing similar potential in Sebastian, Leonard encourages him to abandon the frivolous pursuits of the nobility and join him on an expedition. Although tempted, Sebastian is reluctant to walk away from his familial obligations, luxurious lifestyle, and the affair he is having with the married Lady Sylvia Roehampton. But when Sebastian desires more from his lover, he learns a harsh lesson about aristocratic morality, leaving him to question his place in society, his future dukedom, and his very identity.
