Set in 1882 during the height of the Gilded Age, the story follows Marian Brook, a young woman who has recently lost her father, a Southern general. She relocates to New York City to live with her strict and traditional aunts. Accompanied by Peggy Scott, an African-American woman posing as her maid, Marian becomes entangled in the glamorous world of her wealthy neighbors. As she navigates this new environment, she faces the challenge of choosing between conforming to societal expectations or carving out her own destiny.