This is a dark and dramatic tale with romance at its heart, set in the early years of the nineteenth century.
Martha Morgan, a young widow, has finally found love again, after weathering many storms of the heart. She agrees to marry Owain and all the members of her family are delighted. But just as she starts to believe that she can have a quiet, calm life, Martha is terrified by a ghostly apparition, which the servants start to call The Nightwalker. Further troubles await her - an orphan is abandoned on the front doorstep, a ship is wrecked on the rocky coastline nearby, and one of the local squires tries to intimidate and undermine her. Finally, Owain, her anchor, disappears.
For the first time since becoming its Mistress, the Plas Ingli estate is in serious trouble. It is up to Martha to lead the family out of dark times - even if the journey will test her to her limits...
For many female readers, this is the favourite book of the Saga. Maybe that is because it is really about motherhood and the need for security, love and warmth -- but there is a lot of disturbing material in the story, dealing with depression, paranoia and violence, among other things. But Martha is a survivor, and ultimately this book, like all of the others, takes an optimistic and positive view of the human condition.