When Mary Dean is suddenly and tragically orphaned, she must find an extra source of income if she and her young brother want to escape the workhouse. The matchbox factory where she works pays poorly and she is desperate. Tempted by the lure of the House of Assignation, she accepts an invitation and becomes a courtesan in the exclusive establishment. Her very first client, Sir Walter, is entranced by her beauty and innocence, he insists that she be his and his alone. But another threat lurks in the shadows. Her neighbour, a midwife, righteous in her hatred of prostitution, holds the key to a menacing secret. She knows the identity of the terrifying Whitechapel murderer...the infamous Jack the Ripper. Mary has no idea of the peril she has placed herself in or the intentions of those who surround her. Who can she trust...if anyone?