Jassy

Christopher Hatton loses the country estate Mordelaine in a dice game to Nick Helmar, triggering the Hattons' eviction. The loss upends their status and forces a move to a cottage in a nearby village. Mordelaine becomes the new home of the Helmar family.

Barney Hatton spots villagers attacking a young woman and intervenes to pull her to safety. The rescued woman is Jassy Woodroofe, who is said to have second sight, a gift that sparks fear and whispers of witchcraft among the villagers. Her arrival foreshadows growing conflict with the Hattons and the Helmars.

Mrs Hatton hires Jassy as a domestic servant at Mordelaine, bringing her into the Helmar household. Jassy's mystique and intelligence begin reshaping the estate's dynamics. Her position also makes her a focal point for both affection and enmity among staff.

Blacksmith Bob Wicks whips his daughter Lindy, leaving her mute despite Tom Woodroofe's attempts to help. The brutal act intensifies the Woodroofie family's antagonism toward the Helmars. Lindy’s trauma becomes a lingering undercurrent in village life.

Nick Helmar and his family move into Mordelaine, bringing a new social order. Hatton is allowed to continue gambling, but when he is caught cheating, he kills himself. This act shifts power completely toward the Helmars.

Nick discovers his wife has been unfaithful and expels her from Mordelaine. The estate's internal tensions intensify as suspicions and resentments fester. Nick consolidates control over Mordelaine, setting the stage for further conflicts.

Tom Woodroofe leads villagers to march on the Helmars to demand better pay and conditions. Back in the village, Jassy senses danger and asks Barney to help, signaling her foreknowledge of trouble. The gathering threat foreshadows a violent confrontation at Mordelaine.

A drunken Nick confronts Tom Woodroofe and accidentally shoots him. The shooting escalates the conflict between the Hatton-Woodroofie faction and the Helmar household. Jassy's role as a mediator grows more precarious.

Jassy and Barney become close, alarming Mrs Hatton who fears losing control over the situation. She sends Jassy to a ladies' finishing school with a recommendation, and Jassy begins work as a maid. At the school, she befriends some young women, notably Dilys Helmar.

Dilys sneaks out for a romantic tryst, and Jassy covers for her. As a result, Jassy is dismissed from her role and distant from the household. The rift deepens the rivalry between the girls and reshapes Mordelaine's staff.

Dilys brings Jassy to Mordelaine, clothes her in regard to being a school friend. Nick remarks that he feels he has seen Jassy before and later acknowledges that he shot her father, though he claims it was an accident. The past links between Jassy and Nick's victims come back to haunt the present.

Nick offers Jassy the job of running Mordelaine. Jassy restructures the staff, hiring the mute Lindy and firing most of the female staff, including Nick's affair partner. Her changes reveal her own authority and the continuing power struggle at Mordelaine.

Jassy catches Dilys and Stephen together; Nick horsewhips Dilys. Dilys flees into Stephen's arms, while Barney discovers the couple's engagement. The romantic entanglements intensify the estate's tensions.

Nick proposes marriage to Jassy, who agrees only if Mordelaine is given to her as a gift. They marry, but choose to live separately, and Nick suffers an accident on a ride. Jassy enforces a strict diet in Mordelaine, tightening control and provoking Nick's increasing violence.

Lindy poisons Nick by slipping rat poison into a bottle of brandy; Nick dies and Jassy senses the murder. Stephen suspects Jassy and has her arrested along with Lindy. At the trial, Lindy confesses to the murder, exonerating Jassy, but dies from the stress. Barney reads a letter revealing Jassy had signed Mordelaine over to him in anticipation of her sentence, and he refuses the transfer, realizing his love for Jassy is as strong as Mordelaine.