A modern-day researcher uncovers the extraordinary life of a seventeenth-century woman, bridging centuries through the pursuit of a legendary diamond. Beigh Masters, an asset hunter in the twentieth century, becomes obsessed with the fragmented history of her ancestor, Hannah Easton. Hannah, a woman born in Puritan New England, defies the rigid constraints of her society by traveling to Mughal India, where she navigates complex cultural landscapes and becomes the lover of a Hindu raja. The narrative shifts between these two women, utilizing a dual-timeline structure to explore themes of identity, cultural translation, and the fluidity of history.

This novel is characterized by its ambitious scope and its focus on the intersection of personal identity with historical legacy. The narrative structure suggests a deliberate attempt to collapse the distance between the modern observer and the historical subject, inviting readers to consider how the past informs contemporary self-perception. The work is noted for its dense, layered prose that balances the meticulous research of colonial history with the speculative nature of the protagonist's quest. It functions as an analytical examination of how individuals navigate and redefine their positions within disparate cultural systems.