Who is Sally Tompkins in the novel, Almost Paradise?

Sally Tompkins, born Sarah Taubman, is a precocious teen who runs away from a home where she is unwanted and tries to become a star. After years on the Vaudeville circuit, Sally becomes a burlesque dancer. When Sally turns thirty-three, she realizes she cannot dance much longer and decides she must find another way to survive. When Sally meets Richard, a surprisingly naive man, she quickly seduces him into marriage. Unfortunately, Sally finds marriage boring. The only bright spot is Jane, her lovely daughter on whom Sally dotes. Jane's childhood might have been a happy one if Sally had not died of an allergic reaction to a wasp sting.