Artemisia Sanchez and Angelo Falvetti are born on the same day and place in rural 18th-century Calabria. But the tie between them is broken at age ten, when Angelo, likely to be one of the next victims in a feud that has taken his father’s life, is sent away. Artemisia waits for him, but when Angelo returns years later, it is to become a priest. Having married the enlightened noble Marquis Monizio, Artemisia struggles to bring progress and justice to her land, and to deal with her undying feelings for Angelo.