Avelina Ramsay despairs that she will never fall in love. Though every lad she meets is entranced by her comeliness, shyness prevents her from speaking with them. Part of what silences her is the fear that beauty is all she has to offer. She longs for something more, for a deeper calling and sense of purpose, for a stronger connection with a lad. Desperate for help, Lina leaves home to stay with Jennie Cameron, her closest childhood friend. There,...