Winter, 1561. Lucrezia, Duchess of Ferrara, is taken on an unexpected visit to
a country villa by her husband, Alfonso. As they sit down to dinner it occurs to
Lucrezia that Alfonso has a sinister purpose in bringing her here. He intends to
kill her.Lucrezia is sixteen years old, and has led a sheltered life locked away
inside Florence''s grandest palazzo. Here, in this remote villa, she is entirely
at the mercy of her increasingly erratic husband. What is Lucrezia to do with
this sudden knowledge? What chance does she have against Alfonso, ruler of a
province, and a trained soldier? How can she ensure her survival. The Marriage
Portrait is an unforgettable reimagining of the life of a young woman whose
proximity to power places her in mortal danger.