Born to a French opera dancer and a poor, drunken artist, she is orphaned as a teenager and accepted at Miss Pinkerton’s academy for young ladies to teach French in exchange for her schooling and upkeep. Once she goes out in the world, Becky is determined to rise in society - by any means necessary. At heart she is selfish and uncaring, but she is an excellent manipulator and uses her intelligence, wit and feminine charms to fend for herself. She has ruthless ambition.