This is a rags to riches romance. Ruth, the heroine, was the daughter of a whore attached to The Duke of Wellington's Peninsular Army. She thinks that she was born in 1800. She hardly remembers her mother who died when she was only five years old. She follows the British army to Waterloo where she steals a horse and rescues a young, blinded, cavalry officer, who actually is Lord Chandos. They fall in love and with her help they arrive at his country seat, 'Stowe'. She bears him ten children who all play major roles in the story. Her mission is to help him to regain his sight.