Harry Williamson is an ex-merchant seaman, a successful businessman and a loving family man. When he disappears from a ferry in the middle of the Irish Sea, his grieving family are left with more questions than answers. Who on earth is Mary Robinson? Why did Harry leave her a small fortune in his will? Had he been unfaithful to his beloved late wife, Lesley? As they delve into his past, they discover he’s been harbouring a secret which threatens to tear apart the very fabric of their family history. What unfolds is the heartbreaking story of a quiet, middle class merchant seaman and his unexpected, tragic relationship with a beautiful and exuberant waitress from the Liverpool docks as they struggle to reconcile their feelings for each other with the ever-changing attitudes of post-war Britain.