Following the death of her parents in a bridge disaster, 23-year-old Lena Carnforth expects to inherit at least half of her father's thriving shipping and merchant business. Though his will leaves her comfortably off, Lena’s father leaves the entire business to his stepson, James. Instead of working, it is generally accepted that Lena will wed her lifelong friend Alistair, though she has doubts about their relationship. When Lena meets the attractive shipping rival Peter Hustwick, she sees him as the answer to all her prayers—she can help build up Peter's business and undermine James's firm, which she regards as rightly hers. When disaster strikes, Lena realizes too late just how carried away she has become with her desire for success.