When a dashing young gentleman runs into Wentmore Hall bleeding from his shoulder and crying, "Save me! Save me! If you cannot hide me, they will kill me!" the quick-witted beautiful young Novella Wentworth hides him in the secret passage that was used centuries ago by Catholic Priests escaping from the wrath of Queen Elizabeth and later the Royalists and the Cromwellians.

The young man, Vale Chester, has been shot by Novella's neighbour, Lord Grimstone, who demands to search the house for his quarry.

Novella's father, a General fighting in the Duke of Wellington's Army in Spain, never liked Lord Grimstone, so she is naturally suspicious of him and his motives.

And sure enough she finds that Vale Chester is a Government agent who suspects Lord Grimstone to be the leader of a smuggling gang landing French luxury goods illegally in England and therefore a traitor, as the English are at war with Napoleon Bonaparte.

Taking Vale's top secret coded message to the Secretary of State for War, Novella finds herself a part of the plan to capture Lord Grimstone and his gang of smugglers and a terrifying adventure begins.

Now her own life, as well as Vale's, is at stake and, as love blossoms in her heart, she finds that it is for his safety that she cares most.