Lieutenant Timothy Ruhl has rescued Emily Petranella from a horrifying ordeal. Their impulsive one night of romance has unfortunate consequences.
Fleeing from each other, Emily sets sail to America with a theatre troupe. Upon meeting a clairvoyant actor, her life takes a different course. Tim, aboard his first command, Apprentice, ventures into foreign waters where he is captured by a seductive, vengeful nemesis.
With the outbreak of war, they return to Malta, where heartbreak and tragedy await; yet hope remains in an unexpected, enigmatic promise.