Elizabeth Carlisle is a young lady leading an ordinary life - under the watchful eye of a strict and distant father. Delighted to be allowed to go to the honourable Lady Morton's party, Elizabeth finds herself drawn to a handsome gentleman who dances once with her before leaving the party; thinking happily on this gentleman, Elizabeth makes her way to Lady Morton's balcony ... and is abducted by a dread creature from her worst nightmares. Christopher Jennings is a gentleman with a pleasant disposition, a large estate, and the ability to communicate with the spirits of the dead. When he meets Elizabeth Carlisle, he is captivated, but his memories of their single dance are suddenly eclipsed by psychic images of her abduction. He rushes back to Lady Morton's house, hoping against hope to reach Elizabeth in time, only to find her barely clinging to life. Rescued from death, Elizabeth struggles to heal while dealing with the disapprobation of her father; cut off from all she has known, she is convinced by Jennings' entreaties to turn to him for answers. Together, she and Jennings search for the identity of her attacker, even as they lend aid to the spirits who have called on Jennings for help. They ultimately stumble upon a secret that has plagued Elizabeth's family for generations, bringing them face to face with an evil they could not have imagined, and putting both their lives in danger.