The narrative opens with the arrival of Jeanne, a vibrant young Parisian orphan, at her wealthy uncle's vast Australian sheep station named Gwylata. Imbued with the vivacity of her French upbringing and the mysterious heritage of her ancestor, an Indian princess connected to a historic black pearl, Jeanne finds herself both enchanted and bewildered by the stark, vast wilderness and the rigid English customs of her new home. She soon becomes the object of universal adoration surrounding her cousin, the Reverend Hector Armstrong, a muscular Christian missionary whose uncompromising orthodox zeal contrasts sharply with Jeanne's more fluid, sentimental approach to faith.
As Jeanne settles into station life, her days are filled with horseback rides guided by old Mac, a former bushranger with a penchant for tall tales, and interactions with the charming local girl Daisy and an aboriginal boy named Bahloo. However, a profound disruption occurs with the appearance of Allan Russell, a charismatic and cynical squatter whose intense gaze awakens deep, inexplicable memories of an ancient past and an overwhelming, irresistible passion. Terrified by the raw power of this attraction and her growing obsession, Jeanne flees temporarily to the township, seeking refuge in the simple, uncomplicated happiness shared by Daisy and her fiancé, Dick Power.
Upon returning to Gwylata, Jeanne finds herself reluctantly betrothed to Hector, convinced that his pure, noble character will anchor her life and elevate her toward spiritual goodness. Yet, as she attempts to study theology to bridge their differences, the chasm widens. Hector demands absolute intellectual submission to rigid dogmas, including the doctrine of eternal damnation and the literal truth of a wrathful God—ideas that Jeanne's conscience fiercely rejects. The spiritual conflict reaches a breaking point on a Sunday morning when Jeanne refuses to take communion, choosing the painful path of integrity over a life of hypocrisy. Hector breaks the engagement and departs to minister among the lepers at Molokai, ultimately succumbing to the disease.
Following the sudden financial ruin and death of her uncle and aunt, Jeanne is cast out into the lonely realities of earning her own living in Melbourne. She endures the struggles of working as a governess in a superficial household while living in a bleak boarding house, sustained only by a young, loyal page named Billy and the philosophical comfort of her memories. When Allan Russell re-enters her life in Melbourne, the dormant passion reignites. After a harrowing sequence of events involving a public slight, a locked boarding house door, and a dramatic evening at the theatre, Jeanne nearly surrenders to Allan's insistent demands to flee together.
On the brink of compromising her deepest moral principles, Jeanne attends a lecture by the renowned orator Annie Besant on the law of reincarnation and spiritual evolution. The experience acts as a profound catalyst, illuminating the true nature of soul growth through suffering and karma. Finding immense moral strength, Jeanne renounces the temptation of an illicit union and convinces Allan to part ways so they may both preserve their higher integrity. The novel concludes with Jeanne finding profound inner peace and a transcendent spiritual vision, secure in the knowledge that her soul—and Allan's—will eventually unite in the eternal pursuit of wisdom and divine love.
