The Roseland Peninsula, 1513. A child born during an eclipse.

Constance believes the timing of the birth is a bad omen and her grandchild will bring misfortune and shame to the family. Sparing no affection for the sweet little girl, Constance blames her for every mishap the family endures.

When a disaster strikes, Mawde ignores her spiteful grandmother's pleas for help. The consequences are catastrophic.

Mawde has no choice but to leave Cornwall and enter a life of kitchen service. The work is gruelling, but Mawde has a goal - to return to her mother in Roseland. First, she must find a way to save enough money, and that requires more than her servant's wage.

Such ambition comes at a price. But is it a price Mawde is willing to pay?

A page-turning tale set during the reign of King Henry VIII.