Soon after the war ended, a young Eleanor Hutchinson dreams of a job as an ornithologist. Without the training, experience and social standing the chances are slim. Undaunted she writes to the British Museum for advice and promptly receives a letter of encouragement from a young Gerald Benson. But neither Eleanor nor Gerald are who they seem. Astute, witty and clever, Eleanor receives support from the mysterious Gerald as she navigates the social expectations. And then one day there is a knock at her door.