Caspar Berry

In the 1830's in northern England, Riah Millican, a widow with three children, takes a job as housekeeper to a reclusive former teacher, Percival Miller. Miller makes Riah the gift of a black velvet gown, and even educates her children. But when Riah discovers the reason behind Miller's gifts, she vows to leave his house, but Miller has a hold on her, even after his death, when he leaves his house to her on the condition that she never marry. Riah's daughter, Biddy, grows up and becomes a laundress in a large house where her education keeps her from fitting in and makes her a target. But it also catches the eye of a son of the house, and with Miller's legacies, Biddy may yet find her way to happiness.

Marla Darland is blessed with the voice of an angel, a singing legend. But when her agent, Marty Starr, finds his agency in trouble, he concocts a sinister plot to bring up her record sales. Amazed at the posthumous record sales of Elvis and Jimi Hendrix, Marty becomes determined to arrange a similar fate for Marla, staging the perfect tragic demise. But he didn't count on Marla not being quite ready to go.