The curious and vivacious Lady Melanie Ludwig is the beating heart of her castle, but when her husband of twenty-two years and his cherished horse die suddenly in a hunting accident, her life begins to fall apart. At the height of her grief, her beloved unwed handmaiden, Janine, leaves her service due to an unplanned pregnancy, leaving Melanie full of rage, lonely, and without purpose.
When her husband's best friend, Lord Alexander Elswick, suddenly shows up with the gift of a new colt, he reminds Melanie of her offer to help his wife overcome a mysterious illness that's had her bedridden for over a year. With her eldest son now in charge of the castle and seeking her purpose again, she agrees to go. On the way there, she learns more than she bargained for about the History of the Elswicks.
After a rocky introduction, Melanie gains Lady Catherine Elwick's trust. Catherine gives Melanie a journal full of secrets in hopes it will help Melanie understand her condition. Passionate to help and always trying to do the right thing, Melanie rushes headlong into a web of lies, betrayals, and deceit and vows to find the answers she seeks, no matter what it takes.
Amid it all, having only each other to turn to, she and Alexander find solace and companionship and fall deeply in love. Knowing they cannot be together, they struggle to suppress their feelings and join forces to uncover every missing puzzle piece until the mystery is solved. Unfortunately, other mysteries come to light that could change Melanie's life forever.