1950s Kenya, and Hilda has been banished to Kenya with her young charge, Chamomile, to begin her new life on a farm deep in the country.
As the Mau Mau uprising begins, she meets and falls in love with Kamau, a Kikuyu. Forbidden and dangerous, their relationship has dire consequences for those around them, and they are forced to make choices neither of them wants to make.

Now, at the end of her life, Hilda is tormented by the past and is determined to make amends.
Time is running out, and she has a promise to return, but dare she?