Cornwall, 1914 - nineteen-year-old Perys Tremayne arrives at St Austell to stay with relatives at the ancient family home of Heligan House. But this is not a social visit: Perys is hoping to use his family connections to start a military career with the Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry.
Perys is a Tremayne, but only just: his childhood was coloured by the disgrace his illegitimacy brought to the family. The Tremaynes of Heligan are distant relatives - and remain so: his cousin Edward takes an instant dislike to Perys, and uses his influence to dash any hopes of his becoming an officer.
But though family tensions remain strained, Perys finds favour and friendship with the locals, in particular farm girl Annie Bray. Events, though, conspire against them: when Perys leaves to join the Royal Flying Corps, he finds himself the subject of vicious lies by manipulative local girl Eliza Dunn.
