In 18th-century England, clever but unschooled Thomas Rose helps the spirited Ling seek Belladonna, the horse she rode in the circus; during the course of their quest they meet painter George Stubbs, who euthanizes ailing animals to study their anatomy, and although the artist assures them that Ling's horse is safe at a nearby estate, Thomas and Ling devise a risky plan to recover Belladonna. Simultaneous.