In the spring of 1803, England's foreign secretary is dead, and his widow, Lady Violette Hawkestone, insists that Ravenna help discover the killer. Ravenna, only nine months a widow, doesn't want to get involved, but when an investigator, Mr. Chadwick, appears to suspect her, Ravenna fears he's going to uncover a past she'd rather forget. In an effort to protect her own secrets and to protect her stepson, who's in line for the foreign secretary position, she can lose no time in discovering the killer's identity.

However, the seductive Lord Braedon stands in her way. Despite her efforts to thwart him, his charm and persistence draw her near. Though he's entangled with another woman, he injects himself into Ravenna's investigation. At last, she relents, and together they uncover an international plot to destroy England—and the killer is much closer to home than she ever imagined.