James, a 16 year-old street-wise shipping clerk and Kathleen, a 14 year-old, self-willed grammar school girl, meet in London in 1946. They fall deeply in love. But because of James' seemingly shiftless manner and pressure from members of Kathleen's family they drift apart. While James is away on National Service Kathleen meets Craig, whom she later marries, but realizes before the honeymoon is over that she can never be happy with him. James returns and he and Kathleen renew their relationship as passionate lovers. Kathleen becomes pregnant. But Craig accepts her infidelity and refuses to divorce her. Realizing the futility of their situation Kathleen and James go their own ways, hoping that somehow, some day, they will be re-united.