The Challoners were a proud and powerful family in Rhode Island during the days of the War of 1812. The Challoner name stood for fleets of trim sailing ships with cargoes of rum and slaves, a counting house filled with gold. Boston bred Abigail Singleton was happy to find work with the family, anxious to teach the odd secluded girl, Marnie, isolated in an Egyptian apartment at the top of the grand Federal mansion. Abby soon learned that something dangerous and corrupt was happening and that beautiful Marnie was the slave of an evil Voodoo master, the secret of Challoner House who had sworn to kill them all.