Drawn from the life of Henry James - an unconventional woman at odds with those who control her fate. Set at the start of the Civil War, Emily, an orphan, is expelled from school because of her "extravagant" friendship with another pupil and her unsettling wild nature. Sent to live with her rich, puritanical uncle and his family by the sea in Newport, she longs to be an artist, but her attempts at self-expression are frowned upon by her estranged family. Despite the formidable restraints of her new life, Emily forms a close alliance with her cousin William. Ailing and ambivalent about his sexuality, William becomes obsessed by Emily's spirit and beauty. He rescues Emily from an uncertain future by inviting her to accompany him to England, where she enrolls as an art student, dependent on his support.