The Lament of the Dhobi Woman — Karen Roberts

The infant daughter of wealthy Colombo socialites, Cat feels unloved and unwanted by her parents. Her nanny Seelawathie becomes the focus of her fierce attachment â€" friend, confidante, mother figure and only refuge. Seelawathie, young, beautiful and vulnerable, meets Cat's uncle Rick and finds that love, like everything else in her life doesn't come easy. In flouting the dictates of a rigid social divide, Seelawathie must brave society's condemnation - and Cat, still a child, must bear witness as the person she loves the most in the world is put on trial.