When we first meet Sarah Walden she is a young girl struggling to find a way to be a proper lady. She is close with her family and wants nothing more than to bring them honor. She has no idea what fate has in store for her or how difficult her life is going to become.
Sarah tends to be more outspoken than women of this age are permitted to be. This often gets her into trouble but at one dinner party her outburst catches the attention of a certain nobleman. Sarah and the nobleman, William quickly fall in love but the match is not considered to be the most favorable. Due to unrest in King Henry VII’s court Sarah is not able to take a place as a maid to the Queen and is sent to France for a better education.
In France Sarah makes two lifelong friends. These two young ladies help Sarah to conform to the rules and manners of society. Sarah and her friends travel back to England for Christmas as guests of William in the Kings Court. While there Sarah learns that her parents have started to search for a more proper match for her hand in marriage. Distraught by this news she suppresses her feelings for William and even treats him coldly during the Christmas celebration.
Sarah remains strong but has lost all hope that her life will turn out as she had once dreamed. Suddenly a letter comes for her and her friend requesting that they return home immediately. Sarah fears the worst as she packs her belongings. Much to her surprise the news she receives is joyous. William rebels against his parents and has King Henry VIII approve his betrothal to Sarah on his own.
Sarah and William start their life together and even have a son. Just as life seems to be going to well for Sarah a strange phenomenon comes over her as she reads in the sitting room of her home. The world slows and she feels as if her very being is altered. As the years progress and others around her age, Sarah looks exactly the same as she did that day in the sitting room. It becomes increasing obvious that she is different from everyone else.
Rumors begin to spread and before Sarah or her family can do anything about it Sarah is thrown in jail on suspicion of witchcraft. A jilted ex-suitor testifies to have knowledge of her treachery. Her counsel claims the possibility that she may have been cursed. Since there is no physical evidence that she has partaken in the dark arts, the court decides to recess for two weeks leaving Sarah to sit in a cell.
Social unrest strikes again and the English throne changes hands. William calls in one last favor to have Sarah returned home under his supervision. While staying hidden in the country Sarah and William are able to be together once again and a second child is conceived. Then tragedy strikes Sarah’s family and her beloved cousin is lost at sea. The untimely death of her cousin opens up a door for Sarah and her family.
Sarah must abandon everything she loves and take on the identity of her cousin. This means leaving William and their son behind. Now living with her sister she lives her life as Bridget. Sarah realizes that her new identity is only a temporary fix. Though is it hard to face she knows that she will not be able to stay in England for long. It seems that William also knew that her time would be limited and so just before his death he arranges for Sarah and their infant daughter to move to Ireland and begin a new life.
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