Book excerpt: Rachel is a world-famous pianist who has always been her mother's obedient doll. But after Rachel accepts a proposal from a famous composer, she meets Orlando, a handsome man who she believed to be a black angel at the cemetery on the day of her wedding. Orlando tells Rachel that what she needs is courage to make her own decisions. With Orlando's words in mind, Rachel leaves behind her wedding dress and runs away. She hides in Orlando's dark mansion and discovers who she really is. She eventually falls in love with Orlando, but then learns that he is suffering from a degenerative illness that will eventually blind him...