The story illustrates the differences in attitudes about love and sex between the French and English. Grace (Deborah Kerr) is the daughter of a member of the British Parliament. She marries a French aviator (Rossano Brazzi) who after a three day honeymoon, leaves his war bride and spends the next nine years fighting for his country. When he returns he discovers he has a nine year old son and must explain his mistress to his family.