While still grieving for her mother and unable to accept her stepmother, a girl clings to the memories represented by forty-three buttons on a string.

"Josie is approached at her shop to appraise a very rare item--a complete charm string. In Victorian times, girls strung buttons on long strings to make the charms. Once the string reached 1,000 buttons--no two alike--the legend was that the owner would meet her beloved. But the owner of this charm string is not looking for love--she's desperate to donate the piece to a museum and be rid of it. She believes the string is far from charmed--it's cursed....