Twin sisters Winnie and Dora are accustomed to conflict. Their fisherman father stirs up resentment among the locals with his modern fishing techniques and dominates his household with his violent temper. His ambition for his daughters is to see them married well, but, although Winnie shares his aspirations, Dora loves local miner's son Tom. Winnie marries wealthy businessman Nathan Zeal, whose cousin, attractive older widower Zachariah, shows an interest in Dora. Winnie encourages the match, and fate and family conspire to put an end to Dora's romantic hopes and her beloved job. But the opportunity that the twins need to confront their father and the expectations of society and create the life that they want will take a form that they could never have predicted.