Our protagonist Marian goes through quite the drama in the first season. After her father's death leaves her in dire financial straits, she heads to New York and moves in with his estranged sisters, Agnes and Ada. Marian struggles with some of the strict rules, especially about the divide between the "new" elite and the established families, and winds up befriending an eclectic group of women.
Among her unconventional choices is her choice of suitor, Tom, her family's former lawyer who follows her to New York and winds up climbing the social ladder himself. By the end of the season, Marian is determined to elope with him, only to find out he's decided to marry a rich heiress instead. Marian is left heartbroken and must figure out what comes next.