Mortimer Cresswell is an old man now, about to breathe his last, and at his deathbed the members of his family hover, waiting to scrap over his fortune. When Stanislas von Ehrlich, a self-made man of fortune, moves into the neighbourhood, the natural order of things changes. Stanislas—ruthless in his desire to succeed—has his eye on Mortimer's land, but the Cresswells refuse to sell, sparking a massive feud. When Esmerelda von Erlich finds herself drawn to a member of the Cresswell household, she is determined to exact her will and exercise her desire. Bound to one another by conflict, passion, and betrayal, both families are set on a collision course so powerful, it will completely alter their world.