When Lady Petra Forsyth's fianč and soulmate dies just weeks ahead of their wedding, she makes the shocking proclamation, in front of London's loosest lips, that she will never remarry. A woman of independent means, Petra sees no reason to cede her wealth and freedom to any man now that the love of her life has passed, nor does she intend to become confined to her country home. Instead, she uses her title to gain access to elite spaces and enjoy the best of society without expectations. But when ballroom gossip suggests that a longtime friend has died of "melancholia" while in the care of a questionable physician, Petra vows to use her status to dig deeper, uncovering a private asylum where men pay to have their wives and daughters locked away, or worse. Just as Lady Petra has reason to believe her friend is not dead, but a prisoner, her own headstrong actions and thirst for independence are used to put her own freedom in jeopardy.
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