Now, Voyager 1942

Charlotte Vale was the youngest child in her family, and like all youngest children, she bore the lasting mark of overprotective parenting; her mother, Mrs. Henry Windle Vale, kept her under constant control from childhood onward. Years passed, and this control turned Charlotte into a withdrawn and frightened woman; the only thing that brought her comfort was bone carving. Lisa, the wife of one of Charlotte’s brothers, invited a psychiatrist to her mother-in-law’s home; after examining the reclusive woman, he diagnosed her with “a nervous breakdown” and suggested she visit his sanatorium to rest and recover. A few weeks spent at the “Cascade” sanatorium restored Charlotte’s hope, and when she was also sent on a cruise ship to the shores of South America, she gained confidence, and for the first time in many years, the once-submissive daughter was able to tell her mother that she had a right to a personal life. On board the liner, she meets a married man named Jerry Darens. Charlotte fell in love with him at first sight, and Jerry returned her feelings. These two people have a difficult journey ahead of them before they can become truly free and happy...