At the dawn of the 20th century, widow Isabelle Bishop still believes in love. But she knows that only money can save her. After losing her husband and three of her children in a shipwreck, she has one chance to rescue what remains of her family: her daughter, Mariah, and her elderly mother. When Isabelle captures the attention of John Whitten, one of New York’s wealthiest men, she dares to hope that fortune might finally favor her. But Whitten’s interest is not in Isabelle --- it’s in 18-year-old Mariah. When Whitten discovers the secret that mother and daughter have tried to keep buried, he threatens to expose them unless Mariah accepts his proposal. For the sake of their survival, Isabelle makes a devil’s bargain: She will urge her daughter into a marriage she knows could destroy her.