Francesca di Valeria had grown up believing that she was destined to marry Paolo di Calveri. When he jilted her, she found herself free at last: free to make her own choices, to escape from her grandfather's dominating shadow. But the holiday in England which was meant to help her get over the shock of Paolo's desertion plunged her into conflict with another dominating man. Oliver Newton, the acid-tongued writer who lived nearby, seemed to take a delight in mocking Francesca, and it was clearly against his will that he was forced to ask her help ...