Alexis Malvern is an only child, raised by her father, Henry, who has built a real estate empire in London. Trained by her father and heir to his businesses, Alexis has no interest in marrying. But when James Falconer approaches her father for a job, she finally meets a man with an ambition and vision that matches hers. Working at his father's market stall in Victorian England, James Lionel Falconer determines to become a merchant prince. Hardworking and trustworthy, he catches the eye of Henry Malvern, head of the most prestigious London shipping company. When threats against his reputation - and his life - emerge, James must prove that he truly is the master of his fate.