Clara Lawton won't allow being jilted at the altar to squash her spirit. Against the wishes of her aunt and uncle, Clara decides to travel to Madagascar to learn more about the tragic shipwreck that took the lives of her missionary family, and marked her forever. Clara is escorted abroad by Xavier Mourain, a handsome young merchant who works with her uncle. The two of them start off on the wrong foot, but Clara can't help but be drawn to the mysterious Frenchman who silently helps her unravel the mystery that has always haunted her. But as their love blossoms, war begins. And the world will never be the same again. For Clara, all the answers seem to lie far across the ocean. But some of them might be closer than she thinks.