France, 1915. Young and radiantly beautiful Centaine de Thiry is the happiest woman in the world: in a few more hours she will be married to pilot Michael Courteney, the love of her life. But fate has it otherwise: Michael is shot down in a reconnaissance plane shortly before his wedding. Life has lost its meaning for Centaine. When the young woman realizes soon afterwards that she is expecting a baby, her zest for live is revived. She decides to give birth to the child in South Africa, the home country of her deceased fiancé. She starts on her long voyage, planning to stay with an uncle. However, Centaine's boat is attacked and sunk by a submarine. She uses all her strength to cling to a gangplank. Many hours later, she is washed ashore on the African coast suffering from hypothermia and exhaustion. Soon after, Hani and Owi, an old native couple, find her. The old people look after Centaine lovingly and care for her until she has completely recovered.