Áine, the only girl among (our brothers, is a neglected, lonely child. Secretive, perceptive, constantly afraid, she is sensitive to the secrets of others – particularly those of her emotionally abused mother and aunt. Above all, she is drawn to the mysterious magnetism of Dunbeg, the crumbling castle on the west coast of Ireland used by her family as a holiday retreat. It is here, at the age of ten, that she meets her American cousin Rupert for the first time.
One sunny afternoon a deliberate act of disobedience changes Áine’s life forever. She will never be free from the consequences of her actions, nor from the deep and lasting relationship forged with the only person who believes in her – Rupert, who must return to America. Despite her determination to leave behind all that has oppressed her as a child, Áine grows up haunted – by Dunbeg and by thoughts of Rupert, now engaged to be married, the only person she has ever loved …