Bennet and Alexander Darcy are the twin sons of Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy and now they are all grown up and finding their way in the world. The story opens after a stormy night on the Kent coast. Dr. Vernon has been called to treat some of the survivors of the wreckage of some craft that foundered in the storm. Bennet and Alexander had been out sailing when the storm him and were some of he victims of the wreck of the Bennet's sailing craft. This accident affects the lives of a number of people in Kent changes the direction of the life of one the characters.