France, 1809: The charming Captain Neuville is set to marry the naive Pauline when the war breaks out, forcing Neuville to depart for the battlefield. After not hearing from the captain for months, Pauline grows sick with worry, and her sister Elizabeth decides to write letters on Neuville's behalf to cheer her up. Unexpectedly, Neuville returns home in glory and is welcomed as a hero, but unbeknownst to everyone, he is a coward and a war deserter.