Hampshire, 1850. Beth Langton has been running her large family estate for 9 months, after the death of her father and under the eyes of her guardian, Lord Edward Sharland. When the father of her best friend, Lady Helen Denton, shoots himself after running up gambling debts, Beth persuades Helen to come and live with her. But further tragedy awaits when Beth's beloved guardian dies. A stranger claims to be Edward's heir, making him her legal guardian - and he has the paperwork to prove it. But can they trust him? And should they?