Plot

A young girl lives in the Outer Hebrides in a small village in the years just before WWI. Isolated and hard by the shore, her life takes a dramatic change when a terrible tragedy befalls her.

Kirsty is a young woman who lives in Garenin with her widowed mother Mairi and sister Annie. She desperately wants to go to America with her boyfriend Murdo, but these plans are derailed when he and other young men are called up for service in The Great War. The town holds a cèilidh to honor them before they leave the following day, however later that night Kirsty is attacked by an unknown assailant. A subsequent examination by the village doctor Maclean shows that she was raped. As time passes, Kirsty discovers that the rape resulted in a pregnancy and tries to hide it from everyone. She eventually tells her sister and mother, particularly after learning that Murdo is dead. Kirsty gives birth prematurely and the baby dies soon after. Overcome by her grief and the memories of the rape, Kirsty tries to commit suicide by jumping off a cliff while holding the baby, but she is rescued by her mother. The baby's body is discovered on the beach the following day. Police Constable McRae is brought in to investigate. He orders Maclean to examine Kirsty's body after learning that she could be the mother, however Maclean lies on her behalf. McRae orders a second examination from another doctor, who concurs and adds that Kirsty is a virgin. Kirsty realizes that her assailant is Maclean and confronts him; he commits suicide after she leaves. McRae discovers that the second physician examined Annie, not Kirsty. He confronts the family but reluctantly chooses to let the matter go after learning of the rape. A year passes and Kirsty leaves to live with her uncle in America. She is reunited with Murdo, who was revealed to have been held as a prisoner of war in Germany.