The priceless heirloom quilt bequeathed to Sofia Parker has already led her on several forays into the mysteries of the past, and the next square she begins to research doesn't disappoint her. A swatch of Scottish tartan was sewn into the patchwork, and according to the diary accompanying it, the tartan dates back to Sofia's ancestor, Lady Isabelle Ripa, in the mid-eighteenth century. In the days of Bonnie Prince Charlie, the claimant to the English throne has amassed an army near Edinburgh and war is imminent. But when a close friend and advisor to the prince suddenly dies of seemingly natural causes, Lady Isabelle suspects treachery. Back in present-day Vermont, Sofia and her family are attending a Highland Games festival, and she finds herself embroiled in controversy.