Stunning, dark-eyed Gustavia, who says she was born in the wrong century, embarks on a dual journey: a seemingly hopeless search for Freddie Finch, her childhood orphan friend, and a wrenching search for family. Both searches take her into the past--from the orphanages of Hull and Hessle in the county of Yorkshire to the teeming metropolis of early 20th century London. Her voyage is fraught with mystery, tragedy, adventure, and enduring love--building to a climax that spans three centuries to unite the threads of five families and four generations.