An elderly lady loses her money on an investment, a conjuror is pursued by thugs, and a clairvoyant mentions the name of the richest man in Europe and his mysterious company. Seemingly unconnected events set Sally Lockhart on the trail of an evil far more awful than she could ever imagine.
She hated this land and its men - big, crude, violent, reminding her more of animals than human beings. But she had no money, no future, and no choice except to belong. A saloon named Avalon seemed the worst place to start, but it was also the only place that would give her the chance. The fact that she could try surprised her. And the fact that she did too well almost destroyed her.