Due to a heart condition when she was little, Dorothea was told she would not live past twenty, but thanks to her mother's support, she thrived and even earned herself a degree in archaeology from Oxford. However, when her beloved mother passes away suddenly, Dorothea has no choice but to live with her distant father in London. On her way there, she meets a disheveled American man by the name of Jack Temple, who is looking for someone. After twenty years apart, Dorothea is looking forward to meeting her scholarly father...who is actually the cunning thief that Jack is searching for!
Who exactly is Jack Temple? He intruded into Dorothea's father's house to steal his map and forcibly dragged her on a search for the legendary Mandylion. Ever since she met Jack, her life has been full of surprises and challenges. Despite siding with her father, she cannot help but feel attracted to Jack. She wants to make peace with her father so she can be honest with her feelings, but Jack doesn't want to break Dorothea's heart by telling her that her father is not a true archaeologist but actually a scoundrel who plans to take advantage of her trust and sell the Mandylion!