Emily is raised by her father who encourages her to always follow her heart and dreams. But when her father dies leaving Emily all alone she has to be raised by one of her relatives, none of which want her. She hides under the table as they draw lots to see who will have to raise her. Aunt Elizabeth is drawn and Emily is sent to live with her, Aunt Laura and Cousin Jimmy at New Moon.

Emily moves to New Moon and Aunt Elizabeth forbids her to read or write fiction. Pandora, Emily's cat, is left on the side of the road by Aunt Elizabeth. After finding some old 'Letter Bills' in the attic, Emily uses the back of them to write letters to her father.

Emily begins to realise that despite how tough Aunt Elizabeth was, a part of her truly loved her and missed her now. Laura increases her intake of laudanum, then suffers inertia and stays in bed. Uncle Malcolm replies to Emily and says that he will not take the diamond she found as payment (not enough) and that they are coming to claim what is now theirs.

Overjoyed at finishing her first book she goes to see Teddy to see what he thinks of it. Only he breaks her heart when he is brutally honest about it bringing back memories of Dean Priest.

Emily then falls down the stairs and remembers back through a series of flashbacks the moments in her life that have shaped her future.