Paloma Batton is the granddaughter of Spanish refugees who fled Barcelona after the Civil War, who lets little get in the way of her career...until she receives a mysterious pair of golden earrings. She begins exploring her Spanish heritage and becomes fascinated by la Rusa, a woman who rose from poverty to become one of the great flamenco dancers of modern times before committing suicide. As Paloma begins to unravel the secrets of the past, she discovers more than one person who had good reason for wanting la Rusa dead --- including Paloma’s own grandmother.