On a miserably cold, wet, spring day in 1793, a varied group of Londoners from all walks of life set off on seemingly mundane errands that will change each of their lives in ways they could not imagine. At the center of the story is the enigmatic French emigré Madame Seraphine, leading lady of The Swan theatre, who harbors a secret that has festered for twenty-five years, in a lively historical romance of change, social morés, and love in late 18th century London.