A Hampshire estate in 1903. George Erskine, a young man invalided out of the Boer War, falls desperately in love with Emily Delsey, a debutante. Although he persuades her to marry him he remains insecure, convinced she is being unfaithful or at least hiding some terrible secret. Why is she writing letters to another man behind his back? Why is she so reticent about the past? And why does she refuse to countenance physical relations between them? Suddenly, after a horrendous turn of events, George finds himself on trial for his wife"s murder and faces death if found guilty. Can he ever prove his innocence and ensure justice is done?