Althea Hawley never knew her father Albert Miles Hawley, or any of the wealthy Hawley family. Her mother was widow with two young daughters and had married Albert for security, Althea was born a year later and Albert died when she was two. Althea half- sisters' behavior towards her was less than kind. She was painfully shy, so when she started getting invitations to come to Hawley Hill Manor to meet her Aunt Camille and her cousins she was nervous. Even so, she decided she wanted to get acquainted with her father's family. She was fifteen and enjoyed her first trip to Peoria, Illinois. However during her second trip, she finds herself in a confusing and somewhat embarrassing situation and she refused to return to Hawley Hill Manor. Six years later, she receives a summons from her aunt that she can't ignore. Upon her return bizarre accidents begin to happen to her and others around her and she finds herself caught in web of intrigue, fear and romance.