Cressida Marlow leaves Derrycombe on the Devon coast for a career in London. Befriended by the glamorous Marguerite Credland, and dazzled by Colin, Marguerite's son, Cressie is still homesick for her family. Paris with Colin is exciting, but then, confronted with new knowledge about him that she cannot ignore, Cressie returns home, only to find tragedy in her own family. Alone and grief-stricken, it is only when natural disaster threatens Derrycombe's divided communities that Cressie discovers an unexpected ally...