The novel opens in a small town in England on a cold night in January. Ruth Hilton, a young woman, works as an apprentice seamstress in a shop owned by a dressmaker named Mrs. Mason. It is very late, but Ruth and the other seamstresses are still hard at work, even though they are exhausted. Mrs. Mason notices that the girls are tired, so she gives them a short break to eat and rest. Ruth looks longingly out the window, reminiscing about happier times.

The seamstresses are working particularly hard to finish their work in time for a fancy ball taking place the following night: many upper-class ladies have ordered new dresses for themselves to wear. Mrs. Mason explains that she will also bring a few girls with her to the ball to be available if anyone needs repairs or alterations while the event is taking place. Mrs. Mason selects Ruth as one of the girls who will go because Ruth is very beautiful, and Mrs. Mason wants to make a good impression on her wealthy customers. Ruth, however, is shocked to be chosen because she thinks that she has not worked as hard as many of the other girls.