Rosina, the child of an Italian-Jewish father and a mother born on the Island of Sky. The warmth of the Sephardic Jewish household of the early 1840's is disturbed by the murder of the da Silva family's father. The headstrong daughter Rosina decides not to marry but seek domestic service. "All I need are a pair of white gloves and some humility and an answer to my advertisement." Her wish of stage acting becomes reality: the stage of the world. Aware that her Jewishness bars the door to any employment Rosina invents the governess Mary Blackchurch, a Protestant whose part-Italian ancestry explains her olive skin.
while Mrs Cavendish lives a life in boredom her husband is absorbed in the pioneering studies of photography. Mysterious study of which the servant Cook says, that it has something to do with capturing the shadows of ghosts. Secretly she enters at night the study, looking around and seeing the box camera at the window and the 'ghost'-pictures. Next morning she positions herself outside the study, photo typed by Charles Cavendish, inviting her to come and join her in his work as assistant – partly released from her normal duties.. But how he tries: the pictures fade and vanish. Mary, following in her room the Jewish traditions, she celebrates Passover: by mistake she spills saltwater on a photo type on her bedside table, wiping it dry.
Next morning she discovers that the picture has not vanished. She rushes to the study and Charles: "It is Salt solution, you clever girl." The mixture of sodium chloride he did not see: "how could I have been so stupid. It was starring me into the face." Rosina, conscious of the males dominance: "You should be proud of what you've done. You've made it possible to capture the essence of people, to fix memory, fix people, lost people in one's mind forever." When Rosita suggests after the salted picture discovery again a portrait (she asked before: "Have you ever recorded a photo type of a human face?") he agrees. Eventually both are unable to resist as man and woman; 'devoured' by the eager woman with her answering kiss – and his bad conscience: "How late it is." But too late for both. Charles says: "Your eyes are so huge.You devour me" to which she answers: "Then do not look at me. I've heard it said that the ancient Hebrews used to express love for each other entirely covered." Then: "Do I look different? You showed me how to be an inventor. And now I feel as though I could do anything. I want to understand everything about you. I want, I want to invent a way of fixing this moment for ever." Forgetting what her aunt said to her mother after her fathers death: "You never really know a man's true nature. It is all God's will." Rosina setts the pace, knowing what she wants, knowing a mans true nature – never forgetting the master and who the servant is: "Could we not could you not", or: "Cavendish method. Cavendish Blackchurch method or even the Blackchurch Cavendish method." Charles: "Are you trying to overtake me, Miss?" And then the forbidden moment when Rosina goes beyond the point of no return. Charles talks of his mothers and Rositas hair. While fiddling with it he falls asleep and Rosina sees her chance. She undresses him, arranging his left leg – on the developed photo type it is the right leg. Too late she discovers her mistake. Charles is unable to forgive her that she crossed the line. And when the Royal Society's Hewlitt comes, the idea of the salted pictures are his: "Science is not always an entirely rational being. These matters are not always of interest to the ladies." Rosina, hopes to wind back time, humiliates herself: "Charles, I know I have angered you. I know you do not like me to use the camera. Please forgive me. I'm sorry. It was just a gift to show my love. . And our plans, what about the future? I will, I will not be so demanding. I promise you I won't. I will not talk of love. I will not speak of the future. I promise I will be whatever you want me to be. What do you want me to be? Forgive me. I beg you, forgive me. I love you." But done is done and no forgiveness. After her halfhearted revenge with his son she leaves for London. Leaving she confronts the family at supper. Dressed in her Jewish outfit, Mrs Cavendish asks: "Have we a Christmas charades?" Rosina gives her the compromising photo type of her naked husband.
Back in London Rosina becomes a well known, unmarried photographers for her own people. One day Charles is her customer, defeated as he is: "I'm in your hands Miss da Silva. Do with me what you will." She: "Could you turn your head a little more into the light? Still for a full minute." And he: "Are we done?" and she: "Yes, Yes, I think so. Quite done. If you leave your address with my sister," leaving him, "the print will be ready within a week." While he in the background he goes she stops. Last scene while working: "I think of Scotland hardly ever at all now. My images are much admired, and I am even to give a lecture at the Royal Society. They say I have captured the beauty of my father's people, and I am glad." Preparing a self portrait, looking into the camera:" My Mary Blackchurch days seem long gone now. I hardly ever think of what might have been, or why he came to find me, or why it is that you love most those who always seem to be turning away from you. Work is a wonderful restorative."
while Mrs Cavendish lives a life in boredom her husband is absorbed in the pioneering studies of photography. Mysterious study of which the servant Cook says, that it has something to do with capturing the shadows of ghosts. Secretly she enters at night the study, looking around and seeing the box camera at the window and the 'ghost'-pictures. Next morning she positions herself outside the study, photo typed by Charles Cavendish, inviting her to come and join her in his work as assistant – partly released from her normal duties.. But how he tries: the pictures fade and vanish. Mary, following in her room the Jewish traditions, she celebrates Passover: by mistake she spills saltwater on a photo type on her bedside table, wiping it dry.
Next morning she discovers that the picture has not vanished. She rushes to the study and Charles: "It is Salt solution, you clever girl." The mixture of sodium chloride he did not see: "how could I have been so stupid. It was starring me into the face." Rosina, conscious of the males dominance: "You should be proud of what you've done. You've made it possible to capture the essence of people, to fix memory, fix people, lost people in one's mind forever." When Rosita suggests after the salted picture discovery again a portrait (she asked before: "Have you ever recorded a photo type of a human face?") he agrees. Eventually both are unable to resist as man and woman; 'devoured' by the eager woman with her answering kiss – and his bad conscience: "How late it is." But too late for both. Charles says: "Your eyes are so huge.You devour me" to which she answers: "Then do not look at me. I've heard it said that the ancient Hebrews used to express love for each other entirely covered." Then: "Do I look different? You showed me how to be an inventor. And now I feel as though I could do anything. I want to understand everything about you. I want, I want to invent a way of fixing this moment for ever." Forgetting what her aunt said to her mother after her fathers death: "You never really know a man's true nature. It is all God's will." Rosina setts the pace, knowing what she wants, knowing a mans true nature – never forgetting the master and who the servant is: "Could we not could you not", or: "Cavendish method. Cavendish Blackchurch method or even the Blackchurch Cavendish method." Charles: "Are you trying to overtake me, Miss?" And then the forbidden moment when Rosina goes beyond the point of no return. Charles talks of his mothers and Rositas hair. While fiddling with it he falls asleep and Rosina sees her chance. She undresses him, arranging his left leg – on the developed photo type it is the right leg. Too late she discovers her mistake. Charles is unable to forgive her that she crossed the line. And when the Royal Society's Hewlitt comes, the idea of the salted pictures are his: "Science is not always an entirely rational being. These matters are not always of interest to the ladies." Rosina, hopes to wind back time, humiliates herself: "Charles, I know I have angered you. I know you do not like me to use the camera. Please forgive me. I'm sorry. It was just a gift to show my love. . And our plans, what about the future? I will, I will not be so demanding. I promise you I won't. I will not talk of love. I will not speak of the future. I promise I will be whatever you want me to be. What do you want me to be? Forgive me. I beg you, forgive me. I love you." But done is done and no forgiveness. After her halfhearted revenge with his son she leaves for London. Leaving she confronts the family at supper. Dressed in her Jewish outfit, Mrs Cavendish asks: "Have we a Christmas charades?" Rosina gives her the compromising photo type of her naked husband.
Back in London Rosina becomes a well known, unmarried photographers for her own people. One day Charles is her customer, defeated as he is: "I'm in your hands Miss da Silva. Do with me what you will." She: "Could you turn your head a little more into the light? Still for a full minute." And he: "Are we done?" and she: "Yes, Yes, I think so. Quite done. If you leave your address with my sister," leaving him, "the print will be ready within a week." While he in the background he goes she stops. Last scene while working: "I think of Scotland hardly ever at all now. My images are much admired, and I am even to give a lecture at the Royal Society. They say I have captured the beauty of my father's people, and I am glad." Preparing a self portrait, looking into the camera:" My Mary Blackchurch days seem long gone now. I hardly ever think of what might have been, or why he came to find me, or why it is that you love most those who always seem to be turning away from you. Work is a wonderful restorative."