Cornwall, 1801. In the wake of her mother’ s death, Pandora Woodville is desperate to escape her domineering father and finally return to Cornwall. Posing as a widow, she safely makes it across the Atlantic, bright with the dream of working at her Aunt Harriet’ s school for young women. But as Pandora is soon to learn, the school is facing imminent closure after a series of sinister events threatened its reputation. Acclaimed chemist Benedict Aubyn has also recently returned to Cornwall, to take up a new role as Turnpike Trust Surveyor. Pandora’ s arrival has been a strange one, so she is grateful when he shows her kindness. After news of the school’ s ruin spreads around town, everyone seems to be after her aunt’ s estate. Now, Pandora and Aunt Harriet must do everything in their power to save the school, or risk losing everything. However, Pandora has another problem. She’ s falling for Benedict. But can she trust him, or is he simply looking after his own interests?