London, England, 1840: Evangeline Stokes loses her position as a governess when she finds herself pregnant out of wedlock. After being accused of assault and of theft, she is committed to Newgate Prison, then to a prison ship bound for Australia. On board, she strikes up a friendship with Hazel, sentenced to seven years for stealing a silver spoon. Hobart Town, Australia, 1840: Mathinna is the orphaned daughter of the chief of the Lowreenne tribe. Adopted by the new governor of Tasmania and brought to Hobart to live with the family, she is treated more like a curiosity than a child. These three women - Evangeline, Hazel, and Mathinna - will all become part of the story of the creation of a new society in the land beyond the seas...
