Summary
In the tumultuous heart of early 20th-century Warsaw, a clandestine struggle for national liberation unfurls, ensnaring the lives of Elga Pulaski and her brother, Ossip. Dedicated operatives of a secret society striving to emancipate Poland and Russia from the Romanoff yoke, their existence is a tightrope walk between fervent idealism and perilous espionage. Elga, a woman of profound conviction, finds herself entangled in a romantic liaison with Baron Jan Slozek, a figure whose charm belies a treacherous core. Slozek, revealed as a duplicitous spy, orchestrates the arrest of Ossip and other vital members of their revolutionary cell, shattering Elga's world. The ensuing maelstrom of betrayal culminates in Slozek's violent demise, casting Ossip into the unenviable role of prime suspect. Forced into a desperate flight for survival, the siblings seek refuge across the Atlantic, landing on American shores. Here, Elga attempts to forge a new identity, meeting and marrying Norman Hutchinson, a man to whom she initially conceals the harrowing tapestry of her past. Yet, the shadows of Warsaw are long, and when Hutchinson inevitably uncovers the truth, the revelation threatens to irrevocably sunder their nascent union. It is only through Elga's impassioned and raw appeal, a testament to her enduring spirit and the profound weight of her history, that Hutchinson's rigid judgment softens, ultimately leading him to a newfound understanding and acceptance of the woman he loves, scars and all.
Elga Pulaski and her brother Ossip live in Warsaw. They belong to a secret society whose goal is to liberate Poland and Russia from the Romanoffs. Elga is loved by Baron Jan Slozek. But Slozek is a spy who has Ossip and other members of the society arrested. When Slozek is slain, Ossip is the key suspect. He escapes to America with his sister. There, Elga meets Norman Hutchinson, and marries him without telling him her past. When Hutchinson learns the truth, he leaves Elga. Eventually, when Elga appeals to him, he sees the light.
