Publisher's Synopsis
It all starts out in London in the early twentieth century, following the life of Helen Ambrose and her husband Ridley. They are preparing for a long journey ahead, to an unnamed location off the coast of South America. There they are planning to stay for the whole of winter, leaving their two young children behind. She is a little downcast as she walks around with a sense of sadness and a touch of depressing emotions. There isn't much light at the beginning of this tale. However, the time draws near to depart. Helen and Ridley are taking the ship named Euphrosyne, owned and sailed by Willoughby Vinrace, Helen's brother-in-law. The plan is to drop off the Ambroses and from there Vinrace will continue on towards the Congo for exploration. Also on board is Vinrace's daughter, Rachel. Rachel is not a very remarkable person, quite uninspiring and confined to the normalities of her day and age. She is nothing special, nothing unique, and besides her gift in piano, she shows little emotion or delight in anything. Helen considers her and thinks that Rachel has the potential to be amusing and funny if only she would let her feelings out a little more. Rachel plans on continuing on the cruise with her father to the Congo, but Helen steps in with a brighter idea. She suggests that Rachel stay with her and Ridley at the unnamed resort to tag along and hopefully break out of her confinements a little. Rachel isn't quick to agree, but eventually, with some reluctance, she decides to take Helen up on the offer and join her aunt and uncle. Rachel's father, Willoughby, is actually quite relieved. He believes that Helen, his dead wife's sister, will be able to bring Rachel out of her shell and make a "real woman" out of her. In reality though, behind the pretty words and explanation, he wants Rachel to become somewhat of a "Tory hostess" to be an entertainer for when he has guests over for political discussions. Helen however, has a slightly different idea. She wants to help Rachel become her own individual thinker, a person with temperament and uniqueness. The "voyage out" is both literal and mental, with the actual ship's voyage lasting four weeks, and with Rachel finding herself outside of what she has always known.