1856 in Bath. Jane, an extraordinary young woman finds herself torn between a dangerous affair with a female lover and the promise of a conventional marriage to a respectable doctor. Meanwhile in Borneo, British eccentric Sir Ralph Savage sees his schemes undermined by his own fragility and greed. Jane's quest for an altered life and Sir Ralph's endeavours become locked together as the story journeys across the globe. An audacious novel about destiny and desire from the incomparable Rose Tremain.