Thane, Lord Welford, bitterly resents his position: he must marry Miranda Armitage, an heiress unknown to him, or lose Earlsthorpe, his ancestral home. Miranda faces the marriage with trepidation, but, disowned by her guardian aunt, she has no choice but to submit. Thane resolves to make the best of a bad situation, when his life is further complicated by the unexpected arrival of his former lover, Claire, and her friends who have come to attend the wedding. Miranda suspects a relationship between Thane and Claire, and when Thane denies it, she cannot wholly believe him. Facing together the sudden danger that threatens from outside Earlsthorpe, however, draws Thane and Miranda closer. He thinks she will make a fine Lady Welford; she begins to love him. But things are not what they seem. They are unaware of the dangers within the great house. Then, on the eve of their wedding, a murderer claims a victim. The villain is known, his capture anticipated, but no one feels safe. Tensions mount. Lies and deceptions abound, until Miranda's trust is broken by the greatest deception of all.