During the several weeks in which the story takes place, Charity transforms from a diffident, laconic late adolescent to a sexually active, vibrant young woman. Early in the book, she exclaims that she hates everything; however, once enamored of Lucius Harney, she basks in the afterglow of their physical relationship. Even the physical environs of her previously despised small town of North Dormer seem to take on a glorious quality.

When Charity first appears in the novel, her primary goal is to save enough money to relocate from her hometown. She has wielded a great deal of control in the Royall household for several years since the death of her adoptive mother, and Royall attempts to appease her in small ways. She experiences joy, at least initially, in her first physical relationship; sadly, this emotion is dulled considerably by her unintended pregnancy and the departure of her beloved Harney. A short time later, Charity finds herself in the squalid office of the same unethical doctor who nearly killed Julia Hawes during an abortion. Her dreams of independence and escape are replaced by a desperate attempt to survive and to ensure the well-being of her unborn child.