Ruth Duchamp leaves New York in order to find a way to come to terms with a future she fears. She and her husband Alex married not so much in haste as with too little self-knowledge. Attractive without being conventionally pretty, red-haired Ruth is a product of the rock-bound coast of Maine with all that implies and a reserved and practical upbringing.

Alex, an orphan from a small Quebec town, is so handsome he turns heads wherever he goes. Reared by a simple couple who adopt him, he has always felt out of place. Frustration and boredom make him run away from his loving parents to follow uncrystallized dreams. After meeting in New York, Alex is intrigued by Ruth's differences from other women he has known and she is drawn by his extraordinary looks and air of mystery. Over the years, disappointments and unrealized hopes make Alex vulnerable to predatory women and Ruth refuses to give him a divorce.

This is a story that explores steadfastness and the true value of real good will