The marriage has rules. Hallowmere has secrets. When strangers from Blackwater arrive in the middle of the night, Clara discovers how little she knows about the forces surrounding Adrian Vale. Living close to him makes escape from their growing feelings harder, while pressure beyond their home threatens the fragile arrangement holding them together. In the second volume, family loyalties, hidden obligations, and the need for honest answers turn a negotiated partnership into something neither can safely keep at a distance.