Summary

In the “Prologue,” Sophia “Sophie” Maria Beckett was the illegitimate daughter of Earl Richard Gunningworth. Even though Sophia looked like Gunningworth, he claimed she was the orphaned daughter of an old friend. Sophie enjoyed the lifestyle of an earl’s daughter until Gunningworth decided to marry when Sophie was 10.

Sophie hoped that Rosamund, 11, and Posy, 10, the daughters of Araminta, Gunningworth’s new wife, would be her friends. She also hoped her stepmother would love her. The next morning in the nursery, Araminta told Sophie she knew Sophie was illegitimate and warned Sophie that she was inferior to Araminta and her daughters. Sophie learned through the servants that Araminta had asked the earl to send Sophie away, but the earl had refused.

Four years later, the earl died. In his will, Gunningworth left dowries for Rosamund, Posy, and Sophie. Araminta was allowed...