Abigail had lived in an elaborate Victorian house growing up. She was the daughter of a British aristocrat and had enjoyed a life of ease and pleasure. 

Abigail had loved her thick fur coats that kept out the cold in the winter and frolicking through the countryside on summer days. Abigail shivered as she thought about those warm summer days and longed to go back to Britain, to her familiar and comfortable life. But she was no longer in Britain, she was in what the townsmen called America. 

Although Abigail longed to return to Britain, her husband was determined to remain in America. Abigail did the best she could to make friends and enjoy her life in Boston, but it was difficult to adjust to new surroundings and new people. There were lots of people from lots of places and it was scary to be around so many new people. 

At first Abigail only interacted with those who she thought would be similar to her. She met a nice woman named Isibel who was from Ireland and was experiencing many of the same things Abigail was going through. Isibel had also been part of a wealthy family, nearly part of the royal family in fact, but her husband's dreams of making their own living caused them to sell all their belongings and move across the ocean to Boston. Abigail was fond on Isibel in the beginning, but the more time they spent together the more irritated Abigail became over Isibel's constant complaining and talks of all she used to be and do.

After Abigail grew tired of spending time with Isibel, she began trying to make new friends. The first woman she met on her morning walk was Ambrose, a free African American woman. Ambrose was kind and had a sweet-as-syrup kind of voice, instantly making Abigail feel at home. Ambrose expressed her fear at being in a new place, especially with her husband working long days each week away from their tiny home in Boston. Ambrose was often scared to go to town by herself, but Abigail insisted she get out of the house occasionally so they became twice weekly walks through the town square.