Lisbeth is a young woman, an heiress who lives on a plantation with a wealthy family and every privilege. Lisbeth was raised, from the minute of her birth, by her nurse, Mattie, an enslaved young African American woman owned by her family. Mattie must leave her own newborn to be the wet nurse for Lisbeth.
With a strict and very conservative mother, Lisbeth's relationship with Mattie grows, and Mattie and her family begin to feel more like family than Lisbeth's own family. Mattie and her young charge develop a strong and loving bond.
Years later, Mattie marries Emmanuel and has another child. With this new life comes the need to escape their life of slavery and to head north in hopes of finding a better life. While Lisbeth is sad to be separated from Mattie, she understands and is happy when she manages to escape.
Lisbeth is finding her own life to be shallow and unfulfilling. She is encouraged by her mother to accept the proposal from the son of the richest plantation owner in the area. However, when she finds out that her fiancee has been abusing the slaves, she is disgusted and calls off the engagement and moves north, also in hopes of living a better life, wondering if she'll ever see Mattie again.
This is a touching novel. A book I highly recommend.
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