Elizabeth Charlotte Waller is the only daughter of a wealthy cotton plantation owner. It's common for many to have arranged marriages to appease their parents' business interests. And when Eliza is told she must marry the plantation over's oldest son Everett Jackson, she doesn't know what to think. She expected it eventually. It all worked out. Her older brother Ulysses would marry whenever since there weren't any elder girls but Eliza around. And Eliza would be the next Missus of the Jackson house when Everett took over. But after a great cotton harvest, her father throws a large party. There Eliza met Jasper Lander, son of her daddy's biggest rival Mr. Lander. Jasper has his own views that affect Eliza more than she thought. Jasper hates slavery--and boy does Eliza's plantation, and even his own daddy's plantation have a lot of slaves. Slowly, Eliza falls for the mysterious Jasper. But she's been promised to Everett. But the night Jasper comes a callin' on Eliza, he proposes something; let's run away and take as many slaves as possible with us, to the North. It's tempting and Eliza accepts. But some slaves are afraid of getting lashed and just what happens when a slave tells Everett of their midnight dally?