Whitney Stone

Whitney Stone is a young girl, only fifteen at the beginning of the novel, who lost her mother as a small child. Whitney's father is a self-centered man who is void of emotion and finds it difficult to deal with single fatherhood. As a result, Whitney is often ridiculed and neglected by her father, left to face the disapproval of her many neighbors on her own. Whitney becomes rebellious, often participating in activities that cause more scandal and disapproval from the neighbors. Finally having had enough, Martin Stone contacts his wife's sister and arranges for Whitney to live with her and her husband in France.

Whitney leaves England determined to return a different person, someone with whom her childhood crush will fall madly in love. In France, Whitney is a social belle, attracting offers from many different men for her hand in marriage. However, Whitney continues to...