London in 1899 is one of the greatest cities on earth and the heart of the global British Empire. Its fame is not enough to raise the appeal of city living in the eyes of young country gentleman John Whitting, however. He would rather be enjoying the idyllic setting of his family's estate after being away at Oxford for several years than living in the midst of London's noise and dirt. Still, duty to family calls him there, and he determines to make the best of it. Little does he know how life-altering his time in the great city will be--especially after meeting Miss Helene Burbank and her family.Helene Burbank is somewhat of an anomaly within her social class, as is her family. Her deep faith in God and her devotion to putting that faith into practice is often disdained by many of her peers. Yet it is this very faith and devotion that intrigues John when he meets Helene. As John comes to know the entire Burbank family, he realizes that his own Christian walk is lacking, a fact which troubles him. He knows there should be more to his spiritual life than he has experienced up until that point.Even as this awakening begins to stir in John, the whispers of a possible war in South Africa threaten to distract him from his true purpose in life. Will he give into what society expects of him as a gentleman of standing, or will he yield to a deeper conviction hidden away in his heart?
