
Tom Wells, a young American writer, is living on the French Riviera when his money runs out. He meets up with Paul Ehrenhardt, a dapper, obviously wealthy, international type who hires him as his confidential secretary although he has no secretarial duties, but acts more as a Man Friday for some mysterious projects.Tom's first task is to entertain Anna, Paul's seductive wife, for which he is given a fat expense account and the run of the Riviera gambling casinos and restaurants. His next task is to rent a half-ruined medieval castle in the hills of Provence without letting on who his employer is. And finally he has to find a girl...any girl...who is about nineteen, French, beautiful, blonde, aristocratic in manner, without a family or other ties, and able to disappear for a few months.Tom is paid handsomely, but, unfortunately for his employer's mysterious scheme, he falls in love with the girl he finds, and is completely distraught when she disappears as planned. Naturally his suspicions turn to the vast, dank, lonely ruins of Castle Garac. So off to the castle he goes...