Mariota Macnicol followed her heart, forsaking her good name and family for love for an unworthy man. Framed for murder by her lover's mistress and imprisoned by his men, she and her faithful friend Nessa escape. They find sanctuary in bleak, tumbledown Cuidrach with the help of a magical golden lute and a red fox only to discover Sir Kenneth MacKenzie, the new Keeper of Cuidrach, and his band of knights arriving to claim the castle and take up residence.