As a child, Lydia Pallas became all too familiar with uncertainty when it came to the future. Now, she's finally carved out a perfect life for herself - a life of stability and order. She adores her apartment overlooking bustling Boston Harbor, and her skill with languages has landed her a secure position as a translator for the U.S. Navy. Then Alexander Banebridge, who equally attracts and aggravates Lydia, hires her to translate seemingly innocuous European documents. She hesitantly agrees, only to discover she is in over her head.