When Miss Hilary Wentworth takes up an appointment at Carisbrooke Abbey, little does she suspect it will lead her into a whirlwind of mystery and suspense. Her irascible employer, Marcus, Lord Carisbrooke, is as enigmatic as one of the heroes in her favourite Gothic romances, and yet behind his gruff manner she senses a deep and abiding pain.

As Marcus's crusty exterior vanishes, Hilary catches a glimpse of the man beneath. But when she discovers the secret that haunts the abbey it puts them both in terrible danger - a danger they might never escape.