John Fenwick is a portrait artist who gets a commission to paint the beautiful Eugenie de Pastourelles in London; his wife Phoebe wants to go with him, but he feels he needs his freedom to paint to his potential. He goes alone and, of course, falls in love with her (her husband has deserted her). Phoebe learns what's going on and, with their daughter, leaves Fenwick and goes to Canada. Complications arise after Eugenie's husband returns to the scene in which Fenwick is laid low; soon Phoebe comes back to London and she and Fenwick are eventually reconciled.