England, 1575. Mary Sidney, who will go on to claim a spot at the heart of Elizabethan court life and culture, is a 14-year-old navigating grief and her first awareness of love and desire. Her sharp mind is less interested in the dynastic alliances and marriages, but will she be able to forge a place for herself and her writing in the years to come? Young country girl Rose Commin is desperate to shrug off the slurs of witchcraft which have tarnished life. The opportunity to work at Wilton House, the Earl of Pembroke's Wiltshire residence, is her chance. Defying the conventions of their time, these two women will find themselves facing triumphs and revelations together.