Trapped at her father's plantation, Annabelle fends off a forced marriage engagement as she plots her escape through secret letters sent with a blue seal.
Having come of age, Annabelle knows all too well that the man she marries will determine the rest of her life. Even with an inquiring mind and rebellious spirit spurring her toward independence and self-determination, Annabelle faces a crushing reality. The decision, and her future, depend on her overbearing father. Will she accept an oppressive life with her rakish cousin Myles Wilcox, or can the poet John Root be convinced to help her escape to the Western frontier?