Chaperoned at every turn in her Dublin home, Kate O'Barry's horizons have been limited. When her exasperated parents pack her off to her uncle's house in Stockholm hoping that her infatuation with an unsuitable young man will pass, they have no idea what mischief their decision will cause.
Kate sets out to experience life on her own terms, from the fairytale castle of Valholm, hereditary seat the dashing Count Hamilton, to the wretched tenements of the poor. Along the way she learns important lessons - about independence, responsibility and love.