Captain Samson Fairbourne is a confirmed bachelor, a deep-water sailor happily wedded to his work. When he pens a description of the perfect, obedient wife, and hefts the missive overboard in a bottle, all he has in mind is a cutting joke to teach his young cousin a lesson on the foolishness of wishes - and women. Instead, his prank leads him to Polly Bray, a hardworking seafarer who is about to shake his disparaging notions of femininity - while reeling in his heart.