The 1848 Revolution— made all the more unbearable by a year of heartache and personal loss--prompts a young French noblewoman to accept an invitation from a Russian count she might already know. With her fiancé at her side, Mademoiselle de Commercy hopes to gain a new perspective on life at the home of her eccentric host and from the other noble guests who visit his home. However, beneath the veneer of culture and decadence, the count’s estate guards grotesque secrets best left unknown.