A spirited ten-year-old girl, growing up in 1775 colonial Williamsburg, VA, longs for freedom from having to behave like a respectable young gentlewoman. She would rather rush into exciting adventures, like taming a wild horse abused by its cruel owner. But change is in the air as some colonists and her father take steps toward independence from the king of England while others -like her grandfather and her best friend, are shocked that anyone would question the rule of the king. How can she choose a side when she knows it means being disloyal to someone she loves? As the Revolutionary War threatens to tear friends and neighbors apart, her family faces a crisis of its own.