Charlotte Vale, Will Jervis and Andrew Holcomb were childhood friends, but when Andrew left Whitby for America, Charlotte did not know he was forced to leave following the death of a young woman. When he returns she is overjoyed, and assumes Andrew will take over the family shipping firm, but he seems more interested in pleasure, leaving the running of the firm to his sister Hester, assisted by Will. When Andrew suddenly marries, and expects Charlotte to become his wife's companion, she is forced to question whether she really knew Andrew at all.