Although having lived in Virginia for the majority of her twenty one years, Miss Vivienne Whitford will never consider herself a Southerner-not while slavery is still in existence. Determined to free her best friend from the vile institution, the independent Vivienne believes that she has finally hit upon the perfect plan. And it concerns her very little that she will have to use Mr. Andrew Bentley to accomplish her aim; for who is the man that she cannot persuade as she chooses? Traveling north to Pennsylvania under the guise of furthering her relationship with the enterprising Andrew, Vivienne commences her beneficent mission with the enslaved Abigail by her side. During her two-week stay in his locale of Farnsworth Run, however, Vivienne learns that the young Mr. Bentley is a very dangerous man with whom to trifle, as she begins to suspect his involvement in the disappearance of a woman from the nearby Seneca settlement. When Vivienne's concerned report to the local sheriff goes unheeded, she decides that her only option is to return home as planned, thus escaping the calculating and malevolent Andrew. And this she had every intention of doing-had it not been for Joseph. Six weeks into her wilderness escapade, Miss Whitford is no longer certain of anything beyond the fact that she can never return to her former life . . . not after what she has done. But where will she go if Joseph will not let her stay?