Londoner Walter Hartright is hired by Frederick Fairlie of Limmeridge House as an art teacher for his two nieces, Marian Halcombe and Laura Fairlie. The night before he left for Cumberland, Walter encountered a mysterious woman dressed all in white who has escaped from the insane asylum. Once at Limmeridge House, Walter falls hopelessly in love with Laura, but she has promised her father on his deathbed to marry Sir Percival Glyde and will keep this promise. However, she receives an anonymous letter warning her about her future husband. After some research, Marian and Walter find out that this letter was written by the same woman Walter met in London.