A gothic epistolary romance unfolds through letters among assorted correspondents, tracing a young widowed countess who withdraws to a convent as contested inheritances, disappointed claimants, and revealed family annals create mounting tension. The correspondence exposes grief, political calculation, accusations, and appeals for justice while past secrets and feudal rivalries surface. Narrative voice shifts between intimate confession, legal and moral argument, and chronicle-like family history, examining duty, reputation, inheritance, and female constancy. Melodramatic incidents, ambiguous motives, and gradual revelations complicate alliances and set the stage for further intrigue and confrontation.