The bohemian existance of Juliet and her father in 19th century Paris isabruptly ended one tragic night by a wrecklessly driven carriage. Juliet,left penniless, seeks refuge with her aunt and uncle and receives an offerof employment from Sybil Chartley as secretary to her crippled husband. Shemeets their son Richard, fighting to save the family pottery, hampered bythe follies of his charming but irresponsible cousin Philip and the ruthlessscheming of Lady Chartley. Juliet and Richard are drawn to each other, buttheir love suffers a stormy course against a background of family intrigueand industrial strife.