In life, you only have one true, pure love - one person who captures your heart and gently touches your soul. For Charles Darrow (Timothy Dalton) this person is Anna Leath (Sela Ward), and for Anna, this person is Charles. Years ago their lives strayed apart but now they are about to reunite. As he departs to meet up with Anna, Darrow is beset by disappointment when he receives a telegram from her, asking him not to come, promising an explanation would soon follow. A shattered Darrow continues to France and finds solace in the young Sophy Viner (Alicia Witt), a woman he meets by chance on the train. Sophy is soon in love and Darrow is exceptionally generous with her but his heart belongs to someone else and the affair ends. Several months later Darrow receives another letter from Anna and fuelled by the sheer will of his heart, he makes the trip to see her. But there is trouble in the Leath household. Anna's grown up son Owen is to be engaged against his grandmother's will and whispers are exchanged and secrets are exposed, that threaten to separate Charles and Anna once again.