Duchess Claudia

7 hrs. 6 min.

Language Russian

Author René de Pont-Jest

Narrator Larisa Yurova

Description

The novel takes place in the glittering salons of Paris and in the bourgeois setting of the capital’s suburban houses, in a penal labor camp, in the terrible jungle of French Guiana, and even in the nest of German spies—right on the eve of the Franco-Prussian War. A fallen French aristocrat, Duke Robert de Blanchy, decides to mend his affairs by marrying a rich heiress. After all, for five million francs of dowry, you can easily turn a blind eye to the origin of your bride. The mother of the young bride, a woman from half-society Genevieve Fremrol, also considers she has made a good deal—because her daughter Claudia, once she becomes the Duchess de Blanchy, will forever be rid of the shameful mark of being born out of wedlock.

But suddenly a runaway convict, Jean Morel, appears at Genevieve’s luxurious villa. He is a real threat to the future young duchess. And the mother makes a desperate choice…