The Verrall Family: The Novel Introduces The Verrall Family Who Reside In The Grand And Imposing Ashlydyat Manor. The Family Includes The Elderly Sir Peter Verrall His Wife Lady Verrall And Their Adult Children—Arthur Isabel And Lucy. The Atmosphere Within Ashlydyat Manor Is Described As Mysterious And Foreboding. The Mystery Begins: The Plot Unfolds When Strange Occurrences Begin To Plague Ashlydyat Manor. Mysterious Footsteps Are Heard In The Corridors At Night Objects Move Inexplicably And Ghostly Apparitions Are Sighted. These Phenomena Create An Atmosphere Of Fear And Suspicion Among The Verrall Family Members. Family Secrets: As The Mystery Deepens It Is Revealed That Ashlydyat Manor Holds Dark Secrets From The Past. These Secrets Are Connected To The Tragic History Of The Verrall Family And The Manor Itself. The Novel Explores Themes Of Inheritance Family Legacy And The Consequences Of Past Actions.