It is 1919, and the end of the war has not brought peace for Emeline Vance. Lost in grief, she is suddenly alone at the heart of a depleted family. In a moment of desperation, she boards a train and runs away. Her journey leads her to a tiny seaside village in the South of France - where a love affair develops and secrets from home begin blowing in on the sea waves. Fifty years later, a young solicitor finds Emeline's diary, and begins to trace a story of betrayal, love, and bittersweet secrets that will send him on a journey to discover the truth.