The Winnowing WDnds — Ann Marlowe

When young Deirdre Sheridan arrives to begin teaching in the glamorous Alpine resort of Gstaad, she hopes to forget the recent tragic death of her father and brother. And when she meets the beguiling Zora and Zafia and their attractive brother Haroun, heir to the sheikdom of Quaiman--who needs special protection from terrorist acts--her heart is completely captured. Enter their dashing Uncle Sadiq, who reinforced her closeness with the children.

Jeff Hearn, the boyish father of the star drama pupil, and Ruedy, the school's ski instructor, also help to keep her days and nights busy. So it isn't until the third in a series of near fatal accidents involving Haroun that Deirdre suddenly realizes she doesn't entirely trust her feelings toward any of these men.

Then late one night, during a torchlit plunge down an icy mountain is made clear to her in a most terrifying way.