 Miss Hartley arrives at Brympton Hall to be the lady s maid for Mrs. Brympton, who has a heart condition. She hears nothing but good reports about the prior lady s maid, Emma Saxon, who died a year ago after serving her mistress for 20 years. Mr. Brympton is a brute whose job takes him to London during the week, leaving him to spend only the weekends at Brympton Place. Mrs. Brympton seems to prefer the company of Mr. Ranford, owner of the neighboring estate, to that of her husband. But a mystery surrounds Emma s relationship with Mrs. Brympton, and Miss Hartley begins to see a mysterious, ghostly figure as she performs her duties. A figure that seems to be watching and waiting, but for what?