Chains is the freedom story about a young slave named Isabel who lives during the Revolutionary War. She and her little sister have been the beloved slaves of her mistress Miss Mary Finch, who had promised to free them in her will, but her brother denies the promise after her death. They're sold to British merchants in New York -- "Madam" Anne and Elihu Lockton. With Tory ties and cruel streaks, these new masters prove unbearable. Madam abuses both of the girl and keeps Ruth by her side at all times in order to separate the sisters. When Isabel meets a fells slave, Curzon, who is a part of the revolution, she agrees to act as a spy for his colonel on the Lockton's property. In exchange, Curzon promises his friendship and to help get the girls freed. One day Isabel learns that Lockton has a store of money on the property marked for the opposition of the patriots. She passes on the information, but it turns out to be a false clue, although the Loctkons remain under suspicion in their patriot-controlled state.
When Isabel catches wind of an assassination plot of George Washington, she begs Curzon to help free her in exchange for the valuable information. Lockton escapes to England, but his wife remains in the colonies. She sells Ruth without telling Isabel because the younger girl started to have seizures which scared her mistress. When Isabel complains, she is branded with the letter "I" on her cheek for insolence. Alone and depressed, Isabel is sent to work for Lockton's aunt, Lady Seymour. Right around this time the great fire of NYC 1776 occurs. Isabel rescues Lady Seymour from the flames, and the two move to the Lockton's estate where they live nearly inseparably since the girl won the old lady's favor.
The British troops march into Fort Washington and throw the patriots into prison. Isabel starts taking food to Curzon in prison where he's being grossly mistreated because he's a slave. In hopes of helping him, she agrees to once more act as a patriot spy in exchange for freedom. Unfortunately Madam soon catches on to her espionage and, outraged, reveals that she didn't sell Ruth after all. She's living at their Charleston estate but will be drowned in order to punish Isabel for her treachery. That threat and the newfound hope of reuniting with her sister inspire Isabel to escape. She snags a free pass from Lockton and walks down the street with immunity. Immediately she goes to the prison where she tricks the guards into believing the very ill Curzon has died. She takes his body via wheelbarrow to the dockyards where they steal a rowboat and row safely to New Jersey. The two of them decide to find Ruth and rescue her as well.
