An air-mail letter and wallet of photographs from Hong Kong bring unexpected-- and shocking-- news for Laura Robbins and her younger brother and sister at Spryglass, the tall old family house facing the seashore on the wild Lancashire coast. Their seafaring father's startling revelation from overseas changes everything forever. As well as great happiness, the months ahead hold heartache, conflict and tragedy for the family by the shore-- not least for Laura, loved by two men but uncertain of her own feelings or future.