It is the dawn of May 3rd, 1891, in Como. In a house of Paradisett, a small district by the Lake, Cecilia had just woken up and was beside herself with joy. After years of conflicts with her father Zaverio, she finally sees a ray of light in her future. Alessandro, a young man from Umbria she is deeply in love with, is the subject of dispute: he is not a weaver, therefore not the son-in-law the man was dreaming to have. In fact, he is a simple office worker with a low income. A "scribbler". And on top of that, a "foreigner". Despite the hurdles, with determination and a clever plan, Cecilia manages to obtain what she wants, and that year, on Ferragosto, she marries her soulmate. The lake, a key element of the area's lifestyle, will profoundly impact Cecilia's existence on the very day of her wedding and, eleven years later, will be the creator of her destiny again. The novel is inspired by the life of Cecilia Gioconda Teodolinda Rossi, the author's grandmother.