It's 1943 and D-Day is less than a year away. American troops are massing throughout Britain and many of them are based on the Devon coast - some in and around the village of Slapton, the home of twelve-year-old Lily Tregenza. Lily misses her father terribly; he's away fighting in Africa and Italy. She loves her cat, Tips, and has no intention of ever kissing a boy, especially one of the townies - evacuees - because they think they're so superior.