A young Romany woman seeks to escape the crushing poverty of her upbringing, only to find her ambitions entangled with the dark, ancestral legacy of the Lacey family. Meridon navigates the precarious life of a traveling performer alongside her sister, Dandy, until a tragic separation forces her to forge a new path alone. Driven by a desire for security and belonging, she gravitates toward the sprawling estate of Wideacre, unaware of the volatile history that awaits her there. The narrative follows her transformation as she attempts to claim a future that is inextricably linked to the sins and secrets of her predecessors.

This novel serves as the concluding chapter of a trilogy that established the author's reputation for blending historical detail with intense character studies. The narrative focuses on the themes of class mobility and the inescapable nature of family history, which are hallmarks of the series. Readers often note the stark shift in tone as the protagonist moves from the fringes of society to the center of a landed estate. The work is characterized by its focus on the internal conflicts of the Lacey lineage and the atmospheric tension inherent in the setting of Wideacre. The conclusion provides a resolution to the long-standing tensions introduced in the earlier volumes of the series.