While on vacation in Scotland, Sally Morton (Barbara Stanwyck) learns that her lover, the painter Geoffrey Carroll (Humphrey Bogart), is already married. Before returning home to his pre-teen daughter, Beatrice (Ann Carter), and his ill wife, Geoffrey buys a package from chemist Horace Blagdon (Barry Bernard). Geoffrey is painting his wife's portrait, depicting her as an "angel of death."
Two years pass and Geoffrey's first wife has died, leaving him free to marry Sally. Although Geoffrey's career is doing well, lately he has been unable to paint anything of quality. Sally, the new Mrs. Carroll, entertains her old boyfriend, Charles "Penny" Pennington (Patrick O'Moore), and some wealthy American guestsâwhich includes the icy but beautiful Cecily Latham (Alexis Smith). Geoffrey begins painting Cecily's portrait, and becomes romantically involved with her. Sally becomes aware of her husband's illicit romance. Several weeks pass, and Sally has fallen ill, recovered, and fallen ill again several times. The bumbling, alcoholic local physician, Dr. Tuttle (Nigel Bruce), believes she is recovering.
In an idle conversation with Beatrice, Sally discovers that the "first Mrs. Carroll" suffered from a series of illnesses very similar to her own. She also learns that Geoffrey has lied extensively about his first wife. Meanwhile, Geoffrey is being blackmailed by Blagdon, the chemist. Sally suspects that Geoffrey is gradually poisoning her via her nightly glasses of milk. Geoffrey murder Blagdon to end the blackmail. Sally enters Geoffrey's studio, and sees that he is painting her as an "angel of death" as well. That night, during a terrific thunderstorm, Sally disposes of her nightly glass of milk rather than drinking it. But Geoffrey learns of her deception, and inspired by newspaper articles about a local strangler, goes outside into the rain and then breaks into his own wife's bedroom to strangle her. At the last moment, Penny and the police arrive and save Sally from Geoffrey.
Geoffrey is painting Sally as what legendary character?
angel of death