Montreal, 1894-1898. Orphaned at an early age, Elspeth Mackenzie lives with her aunt, a stern, religious woman who acts as her guardian. The strict supervision at home seems oppressive to Elspeth. When she falls in love with Edwin Hardcastle, a handsome man she met at church, she imagines that marriage will be her path to independence. But Edwin lets her down and she remains trapped at home—seriously ill, delirious, and blamed by her aunt for a tragic death. Burdened by guilt, Elspeth slowly recovers, but she’s no longer the bright, cheerful girl that she was. Browbeaten by the medical experts, she now leads a dull, pious life that is strangely similar to her aunt’s. Then she meets some new friends, Victorine and Louisa, who encourage her to reclaim her freedom. One friend raises doubts about the paragon of virtue who judges Elspeth so harshly. Why does your aunt live like a nun—Louisa asks—is she doing penance for some crime? Elspeth regards the question as a tasteless joke, until she stumbles on some disturbing evidence. In an instant, her peaceful existence changes into an unwelcome adventure, where she must deal with blackmail, a suspicious accident, and terrifying meetings in a graveyard. Through it all, she has help from her friends, including a young medical student who is falling in love with her.