Jilly Turner's wartime childhood in rural Dorset is far from idyllic, but her one consolation through the difficult times is Alec, an evacuee from London with whom she strikes up a deep and abiding friendship. But when Alec is orphaned and sent to Australia, Jilly is left alone with her selfish, wayward mother and her depressed father.Struggling to cope with life, Jilly finds herself pregnant and alone at seventeen, with no choice but to give up the beautiful baby boy she loves so much.But does Alec, returned from Australia a successful man after inheriting a distant relative's estate, hold the key to Jilly's future happiness? Always friends, even when apart, Jilly knows his love for her can withstand the truth of her shameful past, but will she ever stop grieving for the son she gave away?