By dint of birth, Lizzie Hayes is part of San Francisco's social elite. But Lizzie, so seemingly docile, hides within her a rebellious heart. All she needs is the spark that will liberate her from the ruling conventions. And that spark is Mary Ellen Pleasant. With her appearance on Lizzie's doorstep, she brings with her not only mystery and a whiff of disrepute but also the key that will unlock Lizzie's passionate nature. "You can be anything you want," she tells Lizzie. "You don't have to be the same person your whole life."