The following version of this novel was used in the creation of this study guide: Williams-Garcia. Rita. A Sitting in St. James. Quill Tree Books. 2021. Hardcover.

The prologue explains how Bayard Guilbert decides that he will marry Sylvie after he was rejected by her mother. When Sylvie is forced into the convent during the French Revolution, she bargains with Bayard and leaves the country with very little belongings as his wife.

Book One begins decades later as an 80-year old Sylvie demands that her personal slave, Thisbe, do everything for her. Meanwhile, Sylvie’s son Lucien is desperate to obtain the family fortune that Sylvie buried years prior to preserve his family. He wants his son Byron to marry a woman named Eugénie, but Byron is in a secret relationship with his best friend Pearce and does not have sexual attraction toward women. Meanwhile, Sylvie agrees to help tutor a masculine girl named Jane, as her family does not believe she is suitable for marriage. Then, when Lucien mentions a French painter named Claude Le Brun, Sylvie is determined to have a sitting to preserve her legacy.

Book Two opens as Jane moves into the Guilbert home and Byron brings back his friend Pearce for vacation. After Sylvie learns that Pearce may have French blood, she decides to hold a waltz to introduce him to girls in her social circle. Around this time, it is revealed that Pearce was sexually abused by his adopted parents and they provide him with everything he needs to keep their secret. Then, Sylvie is furious when Lucien announces that Rosalie will be returning home and the reader learns that Rosalie was born when Lucien raped one of of his slaves, Camille, and Sylvie despises those of mixed blood. Against her wishes, Lucien picks up Rosalie from school and tells her she is going to marry her childhood friend Laurent. The narrator reveals that Sylvie resents Rosalie because she lost her own daughter years prior. Around the same time, one of Lucien’s wives also died after giving birth to Byron who was raised with a boy named Jesse. When Lucien caught the two boys together, he killed Jesse and pretended that the boy ran away. In the present day, Rosalie is relieved that Byron still cares for her as she was the one who led Lucien to him and Jesse as children.

The story continues as Jane is caught swimming naked, much to Sylvie’s horror. Thisbe is sent to her family after nearly drowning, but is only allowed a bit of time with them. Sylvie decides to give her signet ring to Byron to give to his fiancé, Eugénie and tells Pearce that he must work with Jane to restore her honor.

Then, in Book Three, it is revealed that Sylvie once gave the signet ring to Lucien, but took it back after he gave it to an unknown singer she did not approve of. After that, Sylvie believed that Lucien could never take over the plantation and asked Lucien’s half-brother, Henri, to bury the family fortune before selling him to men from Cuba. In the present, Byron decides not to give Eugénie the ring yet and she later arrives at their plantation as a guest. She and Jane become immediate friends and Sylvie begrudgingly asks Rosalie to sew Jane a riding dress for Jane. Then, Lucien takes Rosalie to meet Laurent and is angry when he says he will not marry her because their children would be more Black than white. However, Rosalie sees the sadness in Laurent’s eyes when she leaves and is confident he will come for her soon.

After Eugénie is forced to return home to help her father, Claude Le Brun arrives and immediately dislikes Sylvie who admonishes him for considering new painting techniques. Eventually, he convinces Sylvie to begrudgingly allow Thisbe to be his assistant, but she warns both Le Brun and Thisbe that the latter will be punished if Le Brun starts putting ideas into her head. He teaches Sylvie basic painting techniques and Sylvie shares her tragic past with him.

Book Four continues as Sylvie writes invitations to the dance she wants to hold for Byron where she will reveal her portrait. Lucien secretly has Rosalie write her own invitation and delivers it to the Touriers. Rosalie enters the house for the first time and sees the empty room of Sylvie’s deceased daughter without Sylvie knowing. Once Lucien reveals that the Touriers are coming to the dance, Sylvie agrees to show him the gold to keep them out. However, they find that the gold has been stolen and Lucien learns that Sylvie sold Henri when he thought his half-brother had run away.

Without any money to fall back on, Lucien continues with the dance and Sylvie gets increasingly upset when Le Brun refuses to show her the portrait without payment. He agrees to stay for the celebration, but keeps it covered as guests arrive. Everyone gathers as Rosalie and Laurent meet again, but Eugénie gets offended when Byron pretends to question Laurent’s intentions toward Rosalie, but makes no effort to protect Eugénie. As Le Brun maintains his refusal to reveal the painting, Eugénie reveals to Byron that she wants to break off the engagement because she refuses to have children. Relieved, Byron promises they are perfect for each other and gives her the signet ring. Meanwhile, the relationship between Laurent and Rosalie sours somewhat when he learns of Sylvie’s distaste for her.

Everything takes a turn for the worst when Pearce makes a joke that insults Eugénie’s honor, forcing Byron to challenge him to a duel to reclaim it. However, when Byron goes to meet his father and Pearce for the duel, he is relieved to see that Perace has left and admits that he could not have killed him. He takes the ring back from Eugénie and tries to return it to Sylvie, but she refuses to accept it and tells him to seek out her vineyard in France. Meanwhile, Laurent and his father leave after the scandal and Rosalie knows that they will never return.

The next day, Le Brun demands payment and refuses to accept a promissory note. Then, to Sylvie’s horror, he agrees to settle the debt if they give Thisbe her freedom and allow her to be his assistant. Lucien agrees and Thisbe helps Le Brun create a contract with her real name, Marguerite Carver.

Then, the narrator shows small moments of each of the characters’ lives after the events of the novel. Sylvie and Lucien are forced to move in with Rosalie, and Sylvie dies having never acknowledged her granddaughter. Byron catches up to Pearce and the two eventually move to the vineyard in France where they spend the rest of their days. Meanwhile, it is revealed that it was Henry who stole Sylvie’s gold and was given his freedom once he and his captors arrived in Mexico. Lastly, Marguerite enjoys years of freedom as the mother of Le Brun’s child even though the two never marry. She understands Sylvie’s suffering after she loses her own child, but is determined to preserve her memories for future generations.