The novel discusses the effect on a young boy when his parents separate and divorce. The boy, an only child, lives with his parents who are happily married until the father becomes infatuated with another woman. The boy who adores his father is now devastated by his parents' divorce.
As an adult he is successful professionally but a loner unable to become emotionally involved, especially with girls. He then proposes to his secretary who is also emotionally disturbed as she believes her father rejected her. They marry but she refuses to consummate the marriage and after a while leaves him.
He feels he has nothing to live for in London and decides to move to the States. Then by chance he finds her sitting in a caf. She is in a bad state in the process of becoming seriously ill.
Will he take this an opportunity to get close with her again? Will the two finally find the happiness they have been searching for?