Vicky is a solitary girl with a magical gift who lives with her parents in the French province. When her father's sister bursts into their life after being released from prison, her presence brings back the past in a violent way.

A young American journalist stranded in present-day Nicaragua seduces an enigmatic Englishman who seems like her best chance of escape. She soon realises, though, that their torrid affair has only put her in more danger.