Amity Lucas hopes to escape a life of dreariness by accepting the post of companion to Regina Fairfax in the isolated manor of Mallory Keep But on discovering that Mallory Keep is cursed, Amity is struck with fear at the prospect of living with these strange people And when she is forced to agree to a marriage to Regina's brother Damian against her wishes, she finds herself trapped in a maelstrom of unhappiness and longing