Silk

Headless dolls, horse races, and arson—the tools of passion.
Caroline Corbett is ready for the twentieth century, excited to find work and meet new people—but she gets more than she expected when a rough-hewn Lowcountry farmer and a small town doctor both engage her affections. The broad-shouldered, broad-humored farmer is clear about his desires, and he’s there for her. The doctor is sophisticated, educated, and obviously the right choice—but he sees no reason to dwell on certain realities. Caroline must decide between them, but in doing so she fails to consider the girl Jessie.
A young sociopath bent on her own way, Jessie Bell sees very good reasons to dredge up unpleasant realities—and to create new ones. Before long, this South Carolina landscape is riddled with the detritus of her intense jealousies, which have set astonishing and horrifying events into motion.