During their first four years of marriage, the Blakeleys have led an idyllic life of love and devotion, passion and romance, and considerable financial success. Their son, Leon, is now three years old and twenty-four-year-old Amalie is restless. Now that she has completed renovations on the rooms in Blakefield Castle as well as its gardens, she feels life in her blue ivory tower lacks purpose and enterprise. Weary of afternoon callers and idleness, Amalie complains to Leopold, whose moodiness has seemingly disappeared now that he has everything he wants and needs. She is desperate for an occupation that will help her feel useful, not just decorative. But everything is about to change when Leopold's sister and her partner bring a travel companion from Texas to spend the summer at the castle. Although he is practically engaged to her cousin, Malcolm McFadden makes no attempt to hide his infatuation with the beautiful Amalie. While Amalie revels in the attention, Leopold's dark side reemerges as their good fortune, passion, and perfect existence is threatened. In this continuing historical saga, a newly married couple's loving relationship is challenged when the summer of 1902 brings an unexpected house guest to their castle.
