Charlotte's chance encounter with a handsome Indian soldier, who helps her after she is bitten by a poisonous scorpion, has forever changed her life. But the social system in 1830s India is rigid and often cruel, and Charlotte—raised in an English household, despite the Indian blood in her veins—is prevented from seeing him further. Caught between two cultures, Charlotte struggles to understand her situation, and ultimately herself. Along the way she is confronted by events that test her character in ways she never imagined. The exotic imagery of India lends itself to the drama of this tale as the strong-willed young heroine finds that happiness and despair are often closely intertwined.