In 1840s Cornwall, 25-year-old Sarah Govier supports herself and her illegitimate son, Jory, on the income from Talvan, the granite quarry she inherited from her father. But businessman Kinser Landry has good reason for wanting Talvan and will stop at nothing to get it. Her problems mounting, Sarah turns in desperation to her neighbour, James Crago, a gunpowder manufacturer. After 20 years in India, Crago has returned home, his face horrifically scarred. Local reaction to his appearance has turned him into a recluse. Rejected by society, emotionally bruised and deeply wary, neither Sarah nor James is prepared for the powerful attraction that erupts between them. Can they overcome the past? Can they find the courage to love again?