The adventurous Lady Edwina Esketh travels to the princely state of Ranchipur in India with her husband, Lord Albert Esketh, who is there to purchase some of the Maharajah's horses       She's surprised to meet an old friend, Tom Ransome who came to Ranchipur seven years before to moxia      cc paint the Maharajah's portrait and just stayed on       Ransome has developed something of a reputation - for womanizing and drinking too much - but that's OK with Edwina who is bored and looking for fun       She soon meets the local doctor, the hard working and serious Major Rama Safti       He doesn't immediately respond to her advances but when the seasonal rains come, disaster strikes when a dam fails, flooding much of the countryside       Disease soon sets in and everyone, including Ransome and Edwina, work at a non-stop pace to save as many as possible       Safti deeply admires Edwina's sacrifice but fate intervenes