It's the early nineteenth century Washington. Young adult Margaret O'Neal - Peggy to most that know her - is the daughter of Major William O'Neal, who is the innkeeper of the establishment where most out-of-town politicians and military men stay when they're in Washington. Peggy is pretty and politically aware. She is courted by several of those politicians and military men who all want to marry her, except for the one with who she is truly in love. Because of her personal situation at the time, she, in 1828, becomes the unofficial first lady to help her old friend - "old" both in terms of age and length of time - Andrew Jackson, who has just been elected President of the United States. Jackson and Peggy have the same political outlook, where the union of the states is paramount, especially when many states see their rights as being more important than the union. Jackson had a rough ride during the election in large part because his wife, Rachel Jackson, was seen as a pipe smoking hayseed, unfit to live in the White House. On her deathbed, Rachel asked Peggy to take care of Jackson. Peggy, as unofficial first lady, gets as rough a ride as Rachel did, because of her own marital status and the undue influence she may assert over Jackson. Because of her relationship with Jackson, Peggy has to decide which of the conflicting issues of her political convictions, being with the man she truly loves or respectability is of greatest priority in her life.