Sylvia Bradley was rescued form her parents' house by a doctor attracted to and challenged by her withdrawn ways. Their subsequent marriage has nourished her, but ultimately her husband's care has formed a kind of prison. When she meets Andrew, a historical geographer, her world changes.

A year after Andrew's death, Sylvia makes a connection with Jerome, a young conceptual artist/photographer who, while executing one of his outdoor projects, discovers Andrew's body. After Sylvia escapes to the city, she shares with Jerome the story of Andrew's forebears, a story that goes back to the nineteenth century amidst the flourishing timber and shipbuilding industries of Lake Ontario.