Tuscany, 1716. The clank and scrape of blades and the shouts of young men in the cobblestone courtyard fill the air. Francesca DiCesare, the sixteen-year-old daughter of Italy's illustrious fencing maestro, watches her father's lessons secretly from her room, practicing the moves with a sword she's not supposed to have. All she's ever wanted is to take up the sword. But her father has forbidden it. When Phillip Worthington rides into the salle to become a pupil, she sees an opportunity-someone to fence with her. Their first bout fans the flames of her passion for the sword-and arouses other passions as well. Torn between duty and love for her father and her need to fence and for Phillip, she launches on a dangerous path.

The Maestro's Daughter is the story of a girl determined to force herself into a world reserved for men. The story of a young woman learning the meaning of honor and self-sacrifice, and seeking adventure in an age that insists on her quiet obedience.