This fictionalized account of real-life events is set in England during World War II. Frances Mary is 20-years old, single and driving from Leeds to the East Riding of Yorkshire in mid-August 1943, (carefully avoiding Luftwaffe aircraft returning to Germany) to live with her parents and manage the canteen at a nearby airfield under construction. Simultaneously, the civil engineer in charge of the project, who lodges with her parents, is meeting with Bomber Command because of delays in opening the airfield for operational use by the Royal Air Force. Also attending the meeting is his American structural engineer, who will assist with the technical advice.

That evening a shocking event takes place and Frances Mary eventually discovers that she is pregnant. A furore erupts between her and her parents, and the lodger goes missing. Her parents want the baby adopted, but as she listens to Ave Maria during childbirth, she decides to keep her newborn. What follows are the bizarre consequences of that decision which affect both Frances Mary and the father of her child.