Over her shoulder, Vanessa viewed The Academy for Young Ladies fading in the distance behind the carriage. Turning forward with a sigh of relief, she relaxed. She could hardly wait to catch her first glimpse of Hill House again. Upon her arrival, she never expected to have her guardian residing in her home. If she considered him at all, she imagined him in the background, guarding her interest from afar as he had in the past. Nor did she expect to find her aunt by marriage apparently in charge of the household. Adding to her dismay, her aunt’s relatives were dwelling in Hill House as well. Most disturbing of all, Vanessa found signs of a ghost dwelling in the house too, filling her with unease and dread. If her aunt’s relatives and the ghost weren’t disturbing enough, Vanessa's handsome guardian played havoc with her senses, awakening something deep within her.