Julia Bigsby is the repressed daughter of a widowed parson in 1850's Troy, New York. Desperate to escape her dreary life, she agrees to marry Nathaniel Hamilton, who owns a cotton plantation in South Carolina. She soon finds herself a virtual prisoner in a life she increasingly abhors. The only bright spot is her growing affection for her slave maid Fanny. When Nathaniel's lust for Fanny leads to family chaos, he prepares to sell her away. Agents of the Underground Railroad help Fanny plan her escape to freedom. Julia cannot bear to remain behind, and she decides to flee as well. Thus begins a harrowing journey that tests the ingenuity and resolve of both women

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