Frances Field arrives in a scenic coastal village in Scotland, having escaped her aunt and uncle's dull London townhouse, where she is treated as little more than a servant. Here, she encounters an array of eccentric locals, the occasional roar of enemy planes overhead, and three army wives - Elise, Tommy and Tillie - who become fast friends. Elise warns Frances of the discomforts of military life, but she's inclined to disregard the advice when she meets the dashing Captain Guy Tarlatan - whose affections are elsewhere engaged. And there's the nearby spring, said to have strange powers; legend has it that anyone who drinks its water will be married within a year.