Pearl of the Orient

During the early 19th century, Europe lies in tatters at the feet of Napoleon’s conquering army… Yet the Dutch and British continue to clash for supremacy in the Far East, where princes and traders vie for influence and riches among the people. Teng Lee, an opportunity seeking merchant, dreams of leaving China and settling down in paradise. He currently works as a roving diplomat between the struggling countries and colonies of Southeast Asia, but he longs to be free. It’s not long before he senses a chance to set himself up forever after crossing paths with Stamford Raffles, a visionary young colonial official who dreams of conquests to expand Britain’s growing empire. After the beautiful Elizabeth Blaine is kidnaped by pirates, Lee sees a chance to play one country against another in an international chess game, where he is sure to emerge as the winner. But he doesn’t count on affairs of the heart getting in the way in The Pearl of the Orient. Christopher Nicole weaves a superb tapestry of romance and intrigue around the glowing dawn of the great city of Singapore. Born in 1930, Christopher Nicole spent his early years in British Guyana and the West Indies — years that would later strongly influence much of his writing. He has written under a number of pseudonyms and many of his fifty novels are historical with a West Indian background