As Catherine Whalen's coffin is slowly lowered into the grave, her only child, Elizabeth, watches in sorrow, mindful of the sad truth that she is now completely and utterly alone. With a heavy heart, Elizabeth believes that hers will be a lonely life devoid of joy. But, she is wrong, for the heart ever seeks to heal. Elizabeth healing begins where she has always found her greatest happiness--helping others. And, now, she has such a project. This time, her quest is to raise funds for a new cancer center in the hospital where her mother spent her last days. Immersing herself in the fund-raising work, Elizabeth plans a unique dinner set in the 1800s, mirroring the time in which the hospital's early development began. It is also a period in New York history that she particularly loves-a time that had always seemed to beckon her. No detail is left to chance as Elizabeth diligently guides every aspect of the evening's program, knowing that a successful outcome could impact many lives for the better. And, from the outset, the dinner promises to be a smashing success, as guests applaud the music and praise the event's historic theme. The attendees seem to especially enjoy the location, confirming to Elizabeth that she was right to follow her instincts and select The New York Public Library for the venue. It appears that the weeks spent exploring historical records and endlessly fine-tuning the dinner program, will likely be rewarded. However, there are intangible benefits as well, for the work is almost palliative and a faint glimmer of happiness begins to quietly ease the pain of Elizabeth's terrible loneliness. Even the threat of an unexpected thunderstorm cannot dampen her spirits. In fact, Elizabeth's only concern at the moment is the lateness of the dinner speaker, the hospital Chairman. Running to the front of the Library in search of the guest, Elizabeth continues to reflect on the evening's triumph; thus distracted, she fails to notice the ominous darkness that is fast approaching. It is an unnatural darkness like none before, and it relentlessly pursues its victim, cloaking her in a thick hazy shroud. Finally, in a last surge of fury, the storm releases its prey, hurling the girl to the bottom of the library steps. There, Elizabeth lies in deathly stillness. When she awakens, it is to a world that is no longer hers-it is the 1800s, the time of her dreams. But, the reality is that she now resides in a world in which she has little control over her own life; it is a world in which her very existence lies solely in the hands of the man who pulled her out of the storm, out of her world, and into the past. Can Elizabeth survive in this time, and, more importantly, will she want to?