Summary
To escape her violent, drunken foster father and the bleak existence of the slums, a maid named Sheila Godwin accepts a dangerous offer. She travels to the harsh northern lands, impersonating a countess to wed the infamous Duke Alcott—his fourth wife. Her secret plan is to administer a lethal dose on their wedding night, hoping this final desperate act will grant her a permanent escape from a life defined by poverty and terror.