England, 1947. Ellie Montford is sent to boarding school by her cold and distant parents, joining her best friend's family on their farm for the holidays. She forges a bond with her friend's brother, Simon, who promises to marry her - but childhood promises may not last... Sardinia, 1961. Ellie, now a young woman, joins her parents in Cagliari, where her father works for the Foreign Office. Attending classes at the local university...