Originally born in an impoverished community, Charity’s parents sought out the most educated man in the nearby New England town to raise their daughter. After being surrendered to a lawyer named Royall, Charity was raised comfortably by Mr. Royall and his wife. However, when Mrs. Royall tragically passes away, Charity’s relationship with Royall is threatened. After his wife’s death, Royall begins to feel sexually attracted to Charity, and when she refuses him, their relationship becomes tense. Royall refuses to be close to her, sending proxies to take care of her. Upset and desperate to earn enough money to be able to move away and start a new life, Charity begins to work at the local library. There, she meets a young architect named Lucius, who is visiting the town to gather research for a book he is writing on colonial homes. When Charity offers to escort him around town, the two become very close, much to Royall’s dismay. Intending to marry Charity himself, Royall does his best to