Found abandoned on the quayside, the young waif is taken in by the Jacksons whose own daughter was lost in a tragic accident. They never know her true identity.

Emily grows up in the gatekeeper's lodge on Nathaniel Franklin's estate until Franklin's cousin, the evil would-be heir, conspires to discredit her family and turns them out.

Determined to help save her family from destitution, Emily takes up the offer of service recommended by Franklin's cousin. Only to find his accomplice is hell-bent on seducing her. Emily finds work where she can, but her ambition is to run a fleet of ships. An impossible dream according to handsome Captain David Walsh - at least for a girl.

Battling through heartbreak and terrifying threats, Emily determines to succeed in a man's world and to make her dreams come true.