A lawyer searches the Brazilian jungle for a missionary doctor working with Indians, the illegitimate daughter of an American tycoon who left her his fortune. But the tycoon's real children are determined to prevent the inheritance.

In 1923, devout Eva English and her not-so-religious sister Lizzie embark on a journey to be missionaries in the ancient Silk Road city of Kashgar.

"Straight-laced missionary Sarah Fisher has never met a man like Captain Martin Bouchard. He is the most beautiful person--male or female--she's ever seen. Overwhelmingly masculine, elegantly attired despite months at sea, he is in complete command of everyone and everything around him: everyone, that is, except Sarah. But that's about to change because Sarah has bought Bouchard's mercy with the only thing she has to sell: her body. In spite of her...

"In early 20th century British East Africa, there are rules for the British and different ones for the Africans. Vera McIntosh, the daughter of Scottish missionaries, doesn't feel she belongs to either group; having grown up in Africa, she is not interested in being the well-bred Scottish woman her mother would like her to be. More than anything she dreams of seeing again the handsome police officer she's danced with. But more grisly circumstances...