It's a harsh life for beautiful young Laura Purcell, living on the California coast in the 1880's with her tyrannical father. Her only hope is to escape with the man of her dreams—and when a traveling show comes through town, she thinks she has found him in handsome actor Nicolas Orlando. Intoxicated by his charm and passionate embrace, she runs off with him to New York and the vaudeville theater. But Nick has a fatal weakness for other women, and Laura's seemingly idyllic marriage soon collapses in tearful ruin. Left alone and penniless, she is forced to turn to an almost total stranger, Will Adams, to gain her post with Barnum & London Circus. Laura's many talents soon see her promoted to advertising manager and she feels she has finally found true happiness in Will Adam's arms. Then Nick reappears and threatens her with a secret that can destroy all she holds dear—unless she submits to his demands...
