Sylvia Dupont, a beautiful young quadroon woman, twenty-two years old, has been educated in France, and is now returning to New Orleans to fulfil her destiny as mistress to the son of a wealthy Creole planter. Justin Renard, a highly successful ironwork artisan is returning from a business trip in the south of France when the two meet on the ship. There is instant attraction between them and an equally instant antagonism.
Several weeks later they meet again at a quadroon ball and the sparks fly. They find they have a mutual friend and a relationship develops. Sylvia stuns her mother and brother by giving up the life she was born for and the wealth for Justin. Her brother and almost protector, Adrien Villier, plot to get Sylvia away from Justin. The carriage hijack attempt is foiled but Justin and Sylvia still have difficulties. Their differing views on the Negro-Mulatto situation rise to the surface. After months of discord, Sylvia's pregnancy and their combines efforts to survive a devastating flood bring the two together.
