1843. Ivar, the sole occupant of a remote Scottish island, leads a life of quiet isolation, until the day he finds a man unconscious on the beach. The newcomer is John Ferguson, an impoverished church minister, sent to evict Ivor and turn the island into grazing land for sheep. Unaware of his intentions, Ivar takes him into his home and despite the two men having no common language, a fragile bond begins to form between them.
Meanwhile on the mainland, John's wife, Mary, anxiously awaits news of his mission.
