On their return to Farthinggale Manor, the mystery-shrouded luxury home of the Tatterton family, Annie and Luke believe that they will be putting the past finally to rest, and bringing peace to the spirit of Annie's mother, Heaven. But Annie discovers a diary at Farthinggale. There she finds the story of her grandmother, Leigh, and of her great-grandparents. Born into the privileged life of Boston's wealthy classes, Leigh hopes for happiness. Her dreams are shattered, however, when her parents divorce, and her mother Jillian marries Tony Tatterton. The awful shadow cast by the Tatterton family over the lives of the next three generations begins to spread!