Orphaned, widowed, and wanting a change in her life, Eleanor Crombie sets off for Boston in 1832 accompanied by her brother Ian, a successful doctor. On the same ship is Caroline Campbell, who has her own dreams of being launched into society and finding a husband. Yet the circumstances that greet the two women on their arrival are destined to challenge their perceptions of their futures as well as of themselves. Against the backdrop of an adolescent America struggling to maturity, Eleanor finally overcomes the obstacles that face her and achieves the happiness she seeks.