Priscilla Everstow lived a sheltered life until her brother, Joel, was expelled from Oxford University. When Joel returned home with his pregnant fiancee Charlotte Plumb, the situation spiraled out of control quickly. Faced with sudden jealousy and turmoil, Priscilla longs to get away from the home she grew up in. When handsome Spencer Wilkes-Porter begins courting her, she discovers a means of escape. He proposes to her, and she starts planning her wedding—but her well-designed plans change daily. Deep in her heart, she knows her brother's new wife is involved in the deception but, when she complains, no one believes her. As Charlotte begins to dominate the Everstow family, Priscilla falls further into the background until she becomes a part of the Shadows. .