Two centuries, two tragedies, one fear: Plague. Lucille Metcalf is a devoted lecturer in seventeenth century history. Her husband Richard works at the cutting edge of cybernetics, and has constructed a life-like robot in the basement - Albertine. Lucille's desire to have a child is frustrated by the amount of time Richard spends with his machine, while her life in the seventeenth century world of poverty and disease and the decadent court of King Charles grows ever more real. The two worlds collide as plague finds its modern counterpart in AIDS, and Lucille and Richard find their whole world thrown into doubt.